Apple ditches its plans for a $1 billion Irish data center

Due to delays in the approval process, Apple is dropping a $1 billion plan to open a data center in Athenry, Ireland, RTE reports.

The tech giant first announced the facility in February 2015. It would have been build in the rural Irish location to take advantage of green energy sources nearby, but the project has faced a two-year delay amid planning objections.

In January, Apple raised concerns about the delay in Ireland’s planning process in correspondence relating to its application for a data center in Athenry, Ireland. The tech giant planned to start building the data center on a 500-acre site before the end of 2015. However, it was delayed when unhappy Irish citizens lodged formal complaints with the Irish government. Complainants argued that the data centre would increase noise and light pollution, flooding, and traffic. 

Some also said it would act as an eyesore and others said it would harm the local badger and bat populations. They filed complaints with the Galway County Council, local planning body An Bord Pleanála, and the High Court.

The approval kept being delayed. And delayed. Apparently, Apple has had enough and has abandoned the project.

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