Whether some proposed data centres will be assessed as such is vexing a university lecturer, a civil engineer, a planner and a barrister who, as town councillors, will soon vote on a scheme to supersize Western Australia’s original technology park.

About 6km south-east of the Perth CBD and across Hayman Road from Curtin University, the Bentley technology park houses more than 100 tech-based organisations on spacious, grassed blocks, largely in one-to-three storey buildings.

But the verdant vibe will vanish if a plan by state agency Development WA to allow 12-storey buildings at 10 sites and six storeys everywhere else around the park is approved by the WA Planning Commission.