London, Ont. council approves highrise near Victoria Park, rejects city staff recommendation
Global News
The proposed highrise has long been a point of contention for neighbours concerned about its impact on the surrounding historic Woodfield neighbourhood.
London, Ont.’s, city council has voted to approve a rezoning application for a highrise near Victoria Park in a move that goes against the recommendation of city staff.
Auburn Developments first pitched the highrise in 2015 as a 25-storey apartment building, which dropped to 22 storeys in a second application followed by a 17-storey proposal which was discussed during Tuesday’s meeting of city council.
The proposed highrise has long been a point of contention for neighbours concerned about its impact on the surrounding historic Woodfield neighbourhood.
The concern was echoed by city staff, stating in a report that councillors should refuse the rezoning application because it “is not in keeping with the West Woodfield Heritage Conservation District Plan”
City staff also found the application does not conform with the London Plan, nor is it consistent with Ontario’s Provincial Policy Statement, which promotes intensification while conserving significant heritage resources.
The report from city staff added that “the proposed development and requested zoning represent an overintensification of the site and do not pass all of the criteria of the Planning Impact Analysis.”
Prior to voting on the rezoning application, councillors approved an amendment from Ward 2 Coun. Shawn Lewis which added affordable housing requirements to the apartment building.
These requirements include adding 12 units of affordable housing at 70 per cent of London’s average market rent. Five of those units would be provided in Auburn Development’s existing inventory once the building’s site build plan is complete and the remaining seven would be provided in the building itself.
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