Wesley Vale

His election manifesto highlights key priorities including pragmatic compromises on urban bike lanes, rates management, medium density housing developments and constructive engagement on the Macquarie Point Stadium project.

The Mercury also reports that the Tasmanian government has rejected calls to classify a proposed artificial intelligence data centre in Wesley Vale as a major project, despite La Trobe Council warning that local planning processes are inadequate to assess the facility.

State officials insist the development can be handled through standard municipal channels, even as concerns grow over the site's potential to consume up to 30% of the state's power grid.

Over to South Australia, where Adelaide Hills Council has reversed its three-year policy against holding Australia Day ceremonies on January the 26th.

The state government says a remediation plan aims to resolve concerns by February, with the project's cost now sitting near $12.8 million, well above the original $9.7 million budget.

To the state's northwest, where La Trobe Council has unanimously asked the planning minister to declare a proposed AI data centre at Wesley Vale a major project, arguing Tasmania's planning scheme is too outdated to assess the technology.

Mayor Peter Freshney said the current approvals process was not fit for purpose.

If declared a major project, the Firmus AI proposal would bypass council assessment in favour of the State Planning Commission.

The controversial projects have sparked widespread community unease.

Now there are concerns over a proposal for a third centre in the north-west at Wesley Vale.

I haven't seen this level of concern and angst in any other development application that we've assessed in my time on council, which is 15 years.

Peter Freshney is the Mayor of the La Trobe Council.

Peter Freshney again.

What we're actually trying to do is highlight the inappropriateness of the planning scheme and we are seeking to have the government or the minister declare this a major project.

Experts say having the state government declare the Wesley Vale proposal a major project would mean that it would go to the Tasmanian Planning Commission for approval instead of the council.

You have to remember our planning schemes were done in the mid-20-teens, so that was before data centres were a thing here in Tasmania, which means there's no real assessment framework for them.