Minister Designates New Special Planning Area; Two Major Studies Complete
More homes will be built faster in designated planning areas in Bedford and Halifax.
Community studies are complete for two areas identified by Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) for growth – the Sandy Lake special planning area in Bedford and the Highway 102 west corridor lands in Halifax.
Growth and Development Minister Colton LeBlanc has designated 255 hectares west of Highway 102 as a special planning area, as recommended by the Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality. He has also requested that the municipality initiate planning and bylaw work to enable development of up to 19,500 proposed residential units in the two special planning areas.
“With thoughtful, well-informed planning, we can create vibrant, sustainable communities that will provide the homes Nova Scotians need and help protect the environment for all to enjoy,” said Minister LeBlanc. “Now that these studies are complete, HRM can begin the necessary planning work to support future development in these areas.”
The studies included environmental factors, land-use suitability, infrastructure and transportation requirements, density targets, feasibility costs and servicing to support potential future developments. Recommendations focused on the areas most suited for development and suggested secondary planning work in both study areas. They include:
- developing a master infrastructure plan outlining transportation, water and wastewater requirements
- outlining actions and mitigation measures to protect the environment and enjoyment of parklands.
The municipality will now undertake secondary planning for the two areas.
The Minister has also approved a recommendation by the panel to issue a development agreement to A.J. Legrow Holdings and 4506151 Nova Scotia Limited for 1,040 residential units in 10 buildings in the Southdale-Mount Hope special planning area in Dartmouth (sub-areas 3A and 3B).
Amendments to the development agreement for the Port Wallace special planning area in Dartmouth were also approved to allow greater flexibility in the phasing of proposed development projects and location of infrastructure by individual landowners.
There are now 16 special planning areas in HRM with more than 60,000 proposed housing units, saving between three and 24 months in development time.
Regulations under the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act (orders issued by the Minister), including maps of the special planning areas (Schedule A) are available at: https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/rxaa-l.htm#hhrm
Studies and updates on the special planning areas will be available at: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/regional-plan/special-planning-areas
Quick Facts:
- 15 development agreements have been reached in eight of the special planning areas as of today, May 16, representing 10,205 units and a 48-bed long-term care facility
- in 2022, the Province granted $2.3 million to HRM to conduct environmental and other studies to inform future planning and development decisions in areas targeted for growth
- future serviced community studies for the Morris Lake expansion and Westphal urban reserve lands are expected this fall
- secondary planning is a multi-step process that involves technical reviews and public engagement
- projects are subject to required permits, fees and regulatory requirements as specified in the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act
Additional Resources:
Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/housing%20in%20the%20hrm.pdf
Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality: https://novascotia.ca/housing-panel/
The Province’s five-year housing plan – Our Homes, Action for Housing: https://novascotia.ca/action-for-housing/
HRM Regional Plan: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/regional-plan