In a significant long-term planning milestone, Municipality of Central Elgin council at Monday’s meeting approved the Hospital Lands Official Plan Amendment.
The move establishes a policy framework to guide future development of the 370 acres of land that housed the former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital.
It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Central Elgin, stressed Mayor Andrew Sloan.
In a media release Sloan noted, “This is the only time in our municipality’s history that we have been able to plan an entirely new community of this scale. This project is about more than accommodating growth and financial stability, it provides the opportunity to support a broader range of housing options, including affordable, accessible, and mixed-use
development.”
The municipality will now submit the amendment to Elgin County council for approval.
In the meantime, a Request for Proposals process to identify potential development partners closes May 4 at 2 p.m.
You can read a related story here.
Written by Ian McCallum
