Leading Edge Data Centres plans to invest AU$19.6m (US$13m) in a 1.5MW data center campus in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Built to Uptime Institute’s Tier III specifications, the campus will encompass four 375kW facilities with the first phase due to be launched by November.

Newcastle at the Edge

"Enhancing regional connectivity is of strategic importance to Australia's digital infrastructure upgrade," Leading Edge DC CEO Chris Thorpe said.

“For booming regional areas like Newcastle and the Hunter Region, taking the compute capacity closer to the source of deployment and usage is paramount. The reliance organizations have on fast access to data and compute capacity that is comparable in terms of speeds and pricing to metro access is essential to ensure a level playing field with metropolitan locations."

Leading Edge DC says the project will create over 130 jobs in the construction phase and is partnering with Schneider Electric to help provide the kit for the facilities.

The new plans are part of the company’s phase one rollout of 14 micro data centers in NSW, with many of these locations undergoing negotiations with local authorities.

Back in May, the Australian start-up secured AUS$20m (US$13m) in funds to support its expansion from backers Washington H. Soul Pattinson, an Aussie investment firm.

At the time, the company said it planned more than 20 data centers across Australia. After Newcastle, the next to be declared in NSW is expected to be in nearby Tamworth. After they're built, the rollout will continue to Albury, Wagga Wagga, Parkes, Dubbo, and Coffs Harbour.

The firm uses prefabricated data centers that can be quickly erected and used. The prefabs come in either 30 or 75 rack configurations, Leading Edge says.