nova scotia government, developer push to keep major fall river housing development on fast track
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a drawing of one of the multi-unit buildings a developer hopes to build in fall river. - supplied by the nova scotia government
a push is on to keep a large fall river housing development on the fast track.
a local developer, with the support of the nova scotia government and the halifax regional municipality, is seeking to alter the plans for a multi-building project on fall river road.
vision 7 developments had been granted permission to construct as many as five multiple-unit buildings, each with an upper limit of four storeys. the total number of approved units for the entire complex was about 500.
the approved site runs from 1085 to 1109 fall river rd., which is also known as the carr farm site, and is located between the community’s main intersection and kinsac lake, near ashburn golf club’s new course.
changes to a multi-building housing project between 1085 and 1109 fall river rd. are being reviewed for approval. – google maps
under consideration is a change to two five-storey multi-unit buildings and 86 townhouses, creating a total of 352 residential units. the parking configuration will also be changed.
a 140-bed northwood long-term care facility is also part of the development and is already under construction, but no changes are being proposed for that part of the project. the objective is to keep the new phase of construction on track for the fall.
“this application does not propose to develop a new or previously unapproved site,” reads part of the public submission. “the property already has approval for a residential campus. what the application changes is the mix of building types, how wastewater is managed, and the way the project is approved.”
a site map of a multi-unit housing development being proposed for fall river. – government of nova scotia
the new public proposal describes how the original plan “contemplated treated wastewater directed off-site to lake thomas,” which raised concerns with some lakeside residents. the new plan calls for “on-site sewage disposal with an on-site sewage dispersal field.”
the project falls under the umbrella of special housing initiatives established at the municipal and provincial government levels designed to address area shortages. the provincial government’s five-year housing plan is called our homes, action for housing, and a news release describes how the executive panel on housing in the halifax regional municipality “has cleared the path for more than 60,000 housing units in hrm.”
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the initial 2024 approval for the fall river development also included extensive studies related to traffic, as well as thorough public engagement. this round of oversight will also include public participation from now until aug. 3 at fallriversiteb.ca.
provincial housing minister john white offered words of support in a news release monday.
“nova scotians need more homes, and that means we need to keep finding practical ways to move good housing projects forward faster,” white said.
“traditional processes would not allow this work to proceed quickly enough to see shovels in the ground this season, so the executive panel on housing is stepping in to bring it across the finish line for approvals. this is exactly why this authority exists.”
the panel said in the release that in order “to ensure construction can begin this fall, the panel and the minister of housing will complete the remaining steps of the planning application process.”
“the proposal has been carefully reviewed by hrm and independent experts through several rounds, with the developer making changes along the way to respond to the issues raised,” the statement continued.
“the panel will build on that work to lead a final round of public engagement, finalize the amendments to the municipal planning strategy and land-use bylaw and complete a development agreement for consideration by the minister of housing.
“this work is part of the panel’s broader effort to reduce barriers, speed up approvals and support more housing in communities where it is needed.”
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