Developer vows to push forward with data center after plans denied by Upper Merion Board of Supervisors
The Upper Merion Board of Supervisors denied extension requests and preliminary land development proposals for a massive data center campus in King of Prussia, citing a lack of information. Developer Brian O'Neill has vowed to appeal the decision and recently filed a lawsuit related to the review process. Residents strongly oppose the project, raising concerns about noise, light pollution, water consumption, and utility costs.
The Upper Merion Board of Supervisors voted on Thursday night to deny two extension requests and several preliminary land development proposals for the proposed Renaissance Park and Innovation Data Center Campus in King of Prussia. Supervisors cited a lack of requested information, including architectural plans, traffic impacts, and engineering clarification, for their decision.
The project, spearheaded by developer Brian O'Neill, envisions a 4.5 million square-foot data center complex primarily in King of Prussia. O'Neill has stated his intention to appeal the board's decision, asserting that his existing plan is already approved by the zoning officer. The developer had previously filed a lawsuit seeking an extension of the review process, which initially resulted in a temporary injunction halting township action, though the injunction was later vacated.
Residents have mounted strong opposition to the data center proposals, with approximately 20,000 people signing a petition against it. Concerns include potential impacts from noise and light pollution, significant water consumption, and rising utility costs. Township officials noted repeated failures by the developer to address review comments, some dating back to March. The denial of extensions does not kill the project outright, but future proposals may face scrutiny under a recently adopted data center ordinance.