Overview
- Lombardy’s regional council approved the law on May 26, placing new data centres in disused or underused areas, encouraging recovery of residual heat, and giving municipalities one year to update planning rules.
- The measure imposes higher construction charges for sites that do not meet location rules, with regional reporting that increases can reach 100% for agricultural land and 200% for parks.
- The vote exposed a sharp political split in the council, with centre‑right leaders backing the law as a way to provide certainty for investors and some centre‑left and M5S councillors abstaining or criticizing it as late and insufficient.
- Environmental and local officials warned the law leaves broad gaps on resource use and emissions, pointing to worries about heavy electricity and water demand, urban heat‑island effects, and further soil consumption.
- The regional move comes as national legislation from February 24 requires implementing decrees within six months, creating the possibility that Rome’s rules could standardize or supersede Lombardy’s provisions.