Varde Park proposes fourth data centre despite earlier opposition

Varde Park has applied to build a data centre on a 111.5-hectare site between the town of Varde and Søndre Plantage, a plantation, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The proposal would be the fourth data centre under consideration in Varde Municipality, which wants to attract energy-intensive businesses.

Varde Mayor Sarah Andersen of the Liberal Party welcomed the application, saying the municipality should be a frontrunner in attracting data centres.

“Ten years ago, we made a plan for how we could attract energy-intensive businesses to our municipality, and I think this underlines that we have succeeded,” Andersen said.

The application says surplus heat from the data centre could be reused, for example by the local district heating company.

Microsoft has already submitted two applications for data centres in Lunde and Tinghøj, while the company atNorth wants to establish a data centre near Krageris.

Andersen said she hoped the fourth project would create more jobs and encourage people to move to the municipality.

Plans for the other three data centres have previously received a mixed response from residents in the surrounding areas. The municipality’s first step in examining the new project will be a public consultation, followed by a public meeting for local residents.

“Of course, I hear those voices, and I also recognise the frustration and concern that arise when things are changing,” Andersen said.