NextDC to spend $80m on WA facility

NextDC has announced plans to build a 3,000-square-metre facility in Western Australia after having entered into a conditional agreement to acquire vacant land in Perth.

The facility was expected to launch in quarter three next year, and would be NextDC’s fourth, after deployments in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

NextDC CEO Bevan Slattery said the expansion was driven by "anticipated customer demand for a carrier and systems integrator -neutral data centre in Western Australia", but declined to disclose details of discussions with customers to date.

Acquisition of the land, located approximately 11 kilometres north of Perth’s CBD, was expected to be completed in mid-July, subject to a due diligence process.

When fully occupied, the facility will have cost more than $80 million, with approximately 3,000 square metres of high-density technical space, ancillary office and plant space, Slattery told iTnews today.

He expected to launch NextDC’s Brisbane data centre by June; Melbourne data centre in November; and Sydney data centre in quarter three next year.

The four facilities were expected to provide a total of 15,000 square metres of high density technical space. NextDC was also considering expansion opportunities in Canberra and Auckland, Slattery told iTnews.

NextDC expected to have more than $100 million in equity and approximately $75 million cash at bank following the completion of a $15.3 million Share Purchase Plan offer yesterday and a conditional placement of $16.8 million next week.