A $15 billion data centre has been proposed for the outskirts of Wagga Wagga in southern New South Wales, potentially creating one of Australia's largest data infrastructure developments.

Canberra-based CDC Data Centres is proposing the facility at Gregadoo, approximately 15 kilometres from central Wagga Wagga. The proposed site is located on council-owned land beside an existing landfill facility on Ashfords Road.

The planned development would have a capacity of approximately 1.4 gigawatts. If approved and constructed, it would become one of the largest data centre projects currently proposed in Australia.

CDC has been discussing the potential development with Wagga Wagga City Council for around nine months. The company is currently working through planning requirements, with community engagement expected to begin as the proposal progresses.

A scoping report submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure outlines plans for four large single-storey buildings. Each building would be approximately the size of a supermarket distribution centre.

The proposed site is around 1.3 kilometres from Transgrid's Wagga Wagga substation, an important consideration because of the substantial electricity requirements of a large-scale data centre. CDC says it intends to fund its own electricity connection and required network upgrades.

The proposal also includes extensive backup infrastructure. The scoping documents identify 384 backup diesel generators, on-site diesel storage with a combined capacity of approximately 6,400 tonnes and two large-scale batteries.

Cooling is another important part of the development. CDC says the proposed facility would use a closed-loop cooling system designed to minimise ongoing water consumption. The company's project information states that water used for primary cooling would be recirculated rather than continuously drawn from local Riverina supplies.

The project would be located in an established industrial and waste-management area. CDC says the site was selected because of access to electricity infrastructure, telecommunications, available land and the regional workforce.

Nine rural residences are located near the proposed development, with three within approximately 500 metres of the site. Potential impacts identified during the planning process include noise, visual changes to the rural landscape, traffic, security, water use and the conversion of land.

The development has been classified as state significant by the NSW Government, meaning it will go through the relevant state planning assessment process.

CDC has said the project could generate hundreds of construction jobs and ongoing skilled employment once operational. The company is also expected to engage with local businesses and training providers as the proposal progresses.

Wagga Wagga City Council has described the proposal as potentially significant for the local economy while acknowledging that residents are likely to have questions about the development and its possible impacts.

Community consultation is expected to provide residents with an opportunity to examine the proposal and raise concerns or questions before the planning process advances further.

At this stage, the data centre is only a proposal and has not been approved for construction. Further planning assessments and community consultation will be required before a final decision is made.