The long-delayed Apple datacentre in Galway County, Ireland, gets on the legal fast track-- the Irish High Court decides the dispute between Apple and three individuals from the town of Athenry must be resolved within 6 months.

The aforementioned trio filed legal complaints against the datacentre with the Galway County Council, local planning body An Bord Pleanála and the High Court. As a result, the High Court put the dispute on the "commercial list," a dedicated section dealing with cases with more than €1 million at stake.

For the curious, the Galway County centre represents a €850 million investment from the iPhone maker. It consists of 8 facilities on a 500-acre site in Derrydonnell Forest, around 3 miles from Athenry. First announced back in February 2015, together with a similar facility in Denmark, it will find use for the storage of European customer data and help power online services.

According to a post on the Athenry for Apple Facebook group by local politician Ciaran Cannon the Fitzpatrick/Daly hearing will take place on 21 March 2017, with the case by the 3rd objector, McDonagh, taking place on the following week.

The decision takes place after a local march in Athenry in favour of Apple organised by citizens from the town and surrounding villages attracting over 2000 attendees. The locals believe the datacentre will be a boon for the area, attracting new jobs and boosting the local economy.

Go Apple's $900 Million Datacentre is Getting Fast-Tracked (Business Insider)