Sean Brown from Citizens of Tottenham joins Byte Into IT to discuss growing opposition to the expansion of data centres in Melbourne's inner west, and why residents say the planning system has failed to keep pace with Australia's AI infrastructure boom.

Sean stresses that residents are questioning where these facilities are being built, how they're approved, and whether nearby communities are being meaningfully consulted before projects move ahead.

Living in West Footscray, Sean has watched the existing NEXTDC facility expand repeatedly, while another major data centre has been approved nearby, close to homes, a kindergarten, Maternal and Child Health services and the Stony Creek corridor.

The conversation centres on concerns over cumulative impacts that Sean argues have never been properly assessed. Citizens of Tottenham has compiled its own research into the developments, pointing to large numbers of diesel backup generators, substantial diesel fuel storage and regular generator testing.