A new data center campus is being proposed in southern Michigan, but local officials aren't in favor.

As reported by MLive and ClickOnDetroit, Thor Equities is looking to develop a data center campus in Washtenaw County’s Augusta Township, between Ann Arbor and Detroit.

According to township documents published at a May 28 meeting, Thor affiliate JDS Equities II LLC aimed to rezone 522.2 acres north of Milan-Oakville Road, east of Hitchingham Road, south of Arkona Road, and west of Sanford Road from agricultural/residential to general industrial (GI) for a planned data center campus. The rezoning is part of a larger collection of land parcels that will make up the full campus, with some 300 acres already zoned GI.

The number and size of planned data centers haven’t been shared, nor have project timelines. Reports suggest Thor aims to invest more than $1 billion in the development. An end user has not been secured for the site.

Township staff have recommended approval of the request, but the planning commission voted 5-1 to recommend denial to the board, which will make the final decision at an upcoming meeting.

Many residents spoke out against the development during the commission meeting, citing concerns around how industrial development might impact the largely rural area.

“We recognize that new developments often raise important questions from the community, and we are committed to addressing them,” Thor told ClickOnDetroit. “This project is still early in the exploratory phase and would use approximately 20 percent of an 800-acre site. Our priority is to engage openly with the community, listen to concerns, and provide clear information at every step.”

Ann Arbor Spark, which promotes economic development within southeast Michigan, issued a separate statement to the publication: “While the planning commission recommended denial, we encourage the Township Board to keep the door open and allow the project to move forward to the site plan review phase. That’s where the full proposal, including potential community benefits and infrastructure improvements, can really be assessed. This project represents a significant capital investment and a real opportunity to enhance local infrastructure. Denying the rezoning now would cut the process short before the community has a chance to fully understand what’s on the table."

Founded in 1986, Thor has traditionally focused on retail, residential, and industrial buildings. Its portfolio spans locations in the US, Europe, and Latin America. Thor's data center developments are managed through its Form8tion unit, founded in March 2023.

Form8tion broke ground on its Madrid campus in July of that year and is planned to eventually have an IT capacity of more than 100MW across 60,000 sqm (645,835 sq ft).

This is at least the second US development Thor has been targeting. The company bought a 270-acre parcel of land in LaGrange, Georgia, last year for a data center development.