N.S. designates new special planning area near Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes

The Nova Scotia government is making a push to increase new housing in the Halifax area by designating more land for development. Colton LeBlanc, the minister for growth and development, recently announced that 255 hectares of land west of Highway 102 between Kearney Lake Road and Lacewood Drive has been designated as a special planning area. This area abuts the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes area.

In addition to this designation, LeBlanc has called on the Halifax Regional Municipality to begin work on development plans for two other areas – the Highway 102 corridor and the Sandy Lake special planning area. This secondary planning work will focus on infrastructure needs such as water, sewer, and transportation. While this process is expected to be a multi-year effort, LeBlanc believes that controlled growth of housing in these areas over the next several years will help address the housing needs in the region.

Both the Highway 102 corridor and the Sandy Lake area were identified for potential growth as far back as 2006. The Annapolis Group had previously attempted to develop the Highway 102 corridor, but faced challenges when the city refused to give approval, leading to a lawsuit.

Vicki Elliott-Lopez, associate deputy minister of growth and development and chair of HRM’s executive panel on housing, joined LeBlanc in the announcement. She emphasized that good land for development is becoming increasingly scarce, particularly in the HRM, and the new designations will provide more opportunities for development.

While there are no specific requirements for affordable housing in these special planning areas, Claudia Chender, leader of the Nova Scotia NDP, believes that the government should focus on developing land in the urban core, such as the former school sites of Bloomfield or St. Patrick’s-Alexandra in the north end of Halifax. She argues that these sites would be more accessible and affordable for residents.

Development in the Sandy Lake area has faced opposition from groups like the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, who view the area as ecologically valuable and deserving of protection. Despite these concerns, reports from Stantec Consulting outline major developments proposed for both the Sandy Lake and Highway 102 areas, including plans for thousands of new housing units.

As these developments move forward, it will be essential to address infrastructure needs and environmental considerations. LeBlanc has assured that environmental concerns have been taken into account in recent studies and that mitigation efforts will be implemented to protect the environment. The government remains committed to ensuring that the development of these new housing areas is done responsibly and in a way that benefits the community as a whole.