Newport residents are protesting the 46‑acre Vantage Data Centre Campus, saying the construction will flood the neighbourhood with noise, traffic and lower property values.
Local resident Anthony Williams said the daily site work and increased traffic "takes away the peace from the neighbourhood" and that a 24‑hour operation could create a permanent disturbance.
Vantage said it is committed to being a good neighbour, working closely with local authorities to manage noise, traffic, lighting and environmental safeguards.
Newport City Council, in its planning assessment, demanded that any construction activity meet strict biodiversity, light, noise and traffic standards before approval.
In Cardiff, residents and the Acorn union have opposed a proposed data centre at Llanrumney, citing environmental and traffic impacts on the university hospital's park‑and‑ride.
Across the UK, 568 data centres are listed, with nine new sites proposed in Wales and electricity demand projected to rise from 41GW to 125GW next year, while water use could reach 6.6 million litres per day, equivalent to 20,000 homes.
These figures underscore the growing pressure on local communities as the government labels data centres critical infrastructure.