A municipality in northern Italy rejected an 80MW data center plan, arguing it conflicts with the municipality's environmental policy.

The city council of Cologno Monzese, in the Italian region of Lombardy, has refused plans for an 80MW data center over environmental concerns. The council unanimously rejected the proposal from developer Officine Mak and 2C Sviluppo Immobiliare Spa for a large complex on the former Torriani industrial site, according to local media reports. The project was expected to generate €12 million ($13.4m) in fees for the council.

Officine Mak had applied to build two data center buildings, along with related infrastructure and facilities, on Via Guzzina, next to the municipality of Brugherio.

However, a council resolution dated 24 September stated that the project's "massive and ongoing water and electricity consumption, high land footprint, and structural production of complex technological waste" conflict with the municipality's strategic and environmental objectives. The resolution, reported by Il Giorno, added: "The submitted proposal does not fully comply with the requirements of the PGT [territorial government plan]."

"The strategic objectives require us to lead Cologno Monzese toward the model of an eco-sustainable, circular and intelligent city, focused on the regeneration of existing buildings, energy efficiency, protection of water resources, and the structural expansion of biodiversity and urban forests," the resolution said.

Lombardy, particularly the Milan metropolitan area, is experiencing rapid data center expansion driven by AI demand, and the region is expected to add 2GW of capacity over the next five years. This boom has provoked significant opposition from residents and local politicians concerned about the environmental footprint of large facilities. A 240MW facility planned in Magenta faced a backlash this summer, while plans for a 120MW data center in Travagliato were withdrawn last month.

In June, Lombardy approved the first dedicated regional framework in Italy designed to regulate the rapid growth of digital infrastructure. The law is intended to promote the sustainability of new developments and their construction on brownfield sites, among other measures.