A proposed 8,160-square-foot micro data center in East Concord is moving forward in the city's planning process, adding another chapter to New Hampshire's growing debate over how communities should handle data-center development.

The Concord Planning Board recently scheduled a public hearing for October 21 for the project at 52 Locke Road. About 7,220 square feet of the proposed building would be dedicated to data-center operations, with the remaining space planned for an office, garage and caretaker residence.

The proposal comes shortly after Nottingham voters overwhelmingly approved a 12-month moratorium on data centers, giving town officials time to study their potential effects and consider new zoning regulations. The Nottingham proposal that triggered the debate was eventually withdrawn following opposition from residents.

A New Development Question for Concord

The Concord project is considerably smaller than the large hyperscale data centers being discussed elsewhere, but it still raises questions about how existing industrial and commercial zoning should accommodate emerging technology facilities.

Project materials indicate the facility would use immersion cooling technology, which is designed to reduce the need for traditional water-based cooling. The property also includes wetlands, meaning environmental and land-use considerations will be part of the city's review.

The site has already been considered for other commercial development. A previous proposal called for several flex-industrial and self-storage buildings before that application was withdrawn.

Data Centers Become a Bigger Real Estate Issue

The Concord proposal reflects a broader shift in New Hampshire's commercial real estate market as demand for computing infrastructure grows.

For municipalities, data centers can bring new investment and potentially significant commercial property-tax revenue, while also requiring officials to consider electricity, infrastructure, environmental impacts and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

With Nottingham now pausing data-center development and Concord reviewing a new proposal, New Hampshire communities are increasingly being forced to decide how these facilities should fit into their long-term development plans.

The October 21 public hearing will give Concord residents and officials another opportunity to weigh those questions as the project moves through the city's approval process.