Decision paves the way for major project in Big Box Land

Langford council approved another potentially large-scale development this week for the area colloquially known as Big Box Land on the north side of the highway in Langford.

The prospect of another two million-square-foot commercial and residential development near Costco has certainly raised some eyebrows, but the project was still given the go ahead after Monday nights public hearing.

According to Matthew Baldwin, director of planning for the City of Langford, theres no telling what the actual development will look like at this time, as only the land clearing and rezoning has been approved. Prior to any alteration of the land, an environmental development permit is still required.

Baldwin expects that process to happen soon, possibly by the end of the week.

The form and character of the development itself will also be controlled by a (future) development permit, he said, noting the proposal for that has not yet been provided to council.

There is a possibility that the development could contain high-rises above the currently allowed six-storey limit, provided McCallum Developments the site developers perform a traffic-impact study to assess the implications of such a densely-populated structure on the surrounding roadways.

The new development is already proposing to extend McCallum Road to the south end of Florence Lake and connect it to the Leigh Road interchange.

Baldwin says the land clearing for the project will begin soon, and actual building construction, depending on market factors, could begin before the end of 2015.

mdavies@goldstreamgazette.com

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Decision paves the way for major project in Big Box Land