Faxe council narrowly approves data centre exemption request

A divided Faxe municipal council voted Thursday evening to seek a national exemption for a proposed data centre near Høsten Torp outside Haslev, with 13 members in favour and 12 opposed, *DR* reports.

The decision advances a formal application to Denmark’s incoming minister for cities and rural districts, who will determine whether the project can proceed. Mayor Mikkel Dam of the Liberal Alliance, whose vote proved decisive, argued the council lacked sufficient information to reject the plan outright.

“If we don’t get the authorities—in this case the ministry—to decide whether this is permissible, citizens will feel even more trapped than they do now,” Dam said, emphasising the request was for an exemption review, not final approval.

Opposition councillors, including SF’s Michael Søndermand, criticised the move as prolonging uncertainty for affected residents. “We saw neighbours leave the chamber in tears,” Søndermand said. “They deserve clarity, not more delay.”

Local resident Lotte Sørensen, whose property abuts the proposed site, said the vote had left her family in limbo. “The renovations we’d planned are on hold until there’s a decision,” she said. “We can’t sell, we can’t move forward.”

Councillor Christina Birkemose of the Haslev/Faxe List, who voted against the exemption, vowed to oppose the project even if ministerial approval is granted. “Our job is to ask what we want for our municipality,” she said. “I’m voting for the people who live here.”

Dam stressed that his support for the exemption did not prejudge his stance on the data centre itself, should the ministry greenlight the project. “What matters is that this is thoroughly assessed—weighing the pros and cons,” he said.