Ford’s Broadmeadows manufacturing site in Melbourne is set to be converted into a data centre by Singapore-based Zerra DC, with a planning permit lodged for a six-building campus and office space at 300-340 Barry Road in Campbellfield.

Zerra DC envisions a six-building data center campus on the Broadmeadows site, shifting the landmark from vehicle production to powering AI computing and cloud infrastructure if approved.

The Ford Australia Broadmeadows factory, a cornerstone of Australian automotive manufacturing since 1959, could be repurposed into a large data center campus, transforming the historic site into a technology hub.

Ford’s current design and engineering activities remain at the Broadmeadows precinct, with notable projects such as the Mustang R-Spec developments and the Ranger/ Everest lineage linked to the site and nearby proving grounds.

The shift from manufacturing to digital infrastructure reflects evolving industrial priorities, with rising demand for AI computing capacity, cloud storage, and hyperscale server campuses driving repurposing efforts.

Similar transitions are happening elsewhere, such as Vantage Data Centers converting a former Ford engine plant in Bridgend, Wales, and the 2025 demolition of Holden Special Vehicles’ Clayton HQ site for a data center project in Australia.

Historically, the Broadmeadows plant produced generations of the Falcon and other models, employed up to 5,000 workers, and peaked at more than 600 vehicles per day before Ford ceased local manufacturing in 2016 and sold the site in 2019.

From 1959 to 2016, Broadmeadows was a major Ford Australia production site, at its height employing over 5,000 workers and producing more than 600 cars daily, including the Falcon lineup up to the FG X and models like Territory, Fairlane, and LTD.

For history enthusiasts, the Broadmeadows site’s pivot to powering global data networks and AI applications marks a shift from automotive legacy to digital infrastructure, illustrating broader industrial evolution.

Ford Australia’s headquarters moved to Richmond in 2016, and the Broadmeadows site was sold to the Pelligra Group in 2019, though parts of the original 45-hectare area, including the heritage-listed 1735 Sydney Road building, remain as Ford’s Asia Pacific Product Development Centre.

The redevelopment aligns with a global trend of converting former industrial facilities into data centers due to accessible electrical infrastructure, large land footprints, and secure zoning.

Even before approval, the Broadmeadows plan mirrors HSV’s Clayton site transformation into a data centre after its 2025 demolition, underscoring a broader Melbourne trend of repurposing manufacturing sites for data infrastructure.