Big plan for new Transcona homes in works

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2014 (3257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A plan that aims to add hundreds of new single-family homes in Transcona is winding its way to city hall.

The proposal is driven by North Grassie Properties, which wants to develop 630 single-family homes, 150 multi-family units and small-scale commercial development on a site north of the existing residential neighbourhoods of Kildare-Redonda and Canterbury Park.

This is the second time through city hall for the Transcona North precinct plan, which outlines development guidelines for residential, industrial, commercial and recreational growth in a 174-hectare parcel of land.

“We’re looking at doing affordable family homes out there,” said Norm Boyle, spokesman for North Grassie Properties.

The precinct plan will be presented to the East Kildonan-Transcona community committee this evening. If approved, it will eventually make its way to council.

North Grassie Properties has been working on the residential development, known as NorthWoods, for seven years.

A previous precinct plan was sidelined when officials required the development guidelines to include two major businesses: Border Chemical and Griffin Steel. Both firms had expressed concern the proposed residential development would threaten their operations.

The revised precinct plan includes 1,200-metre buffer zones around both operations.

Boyle said the light-industrial designation for the buffer zone was done at the request of the planners, adding there isn’t much demand for light-industrial space outside of the CentrePort area.

The NorthWoods project will include pedestrian and bicycle paths that link to the Transcona Trail, which forms the southern boundary of the precinct plan. Boyle said tentative recreational plans include baseball diamonds and soccer pitches.

Boyle said once the Transcona North precinct plan is approved, North Grassie Properties will have to submit a more detailed subdivision plan for NorthWoods, adding it’s hoped construction on homes could begin in two years.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca