First plan of subdivision for the Hwy. 400 Lands

By Miriam King, Bradford Times

“Tonight is a special night for us, and for Bradford West Gwillimbury as well… Years of work have unfolded to get us to this point.”

The speaker was Darren Steedman, Vice President of DG Group (formerly Metrus), addressing a Public Planning Meeting on January 19, regarding a proposed 8-block industrial park development at Hwy. 400 and Line 5 – the first application for development received for the 400 Employment lands.

The 78.42 hectare (193.78 acre) property lies in the northeast quadrant of the intersection of Hwy. 400 and Line 5. Most of the property is designated Economic District in the Simcoe County Official Plan, and BWG Strategic Employment Settlement Area, subject to Ministerial Zoning Order.

The exception is the southeastern corner of the property, which is still designated and zoned “Agricultural.”

The Public Meeting was called to hear an application by Bond Head Properties Inc. (DG Group) for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments to bring all of the property into the same “Employment” designation, including the southeast corner, and approve a Draft Plan of Subdivision for 8 Employment blocks, 2 Future Development/Environmental Protection blocks, 1 EP block, 1 Future Highway Interchange block, and a block for a sanitary pumping station.

…The County of Simcoe was opposed to the removal of Prime Agricultural land, stating the application “does not conform to the County’s Official Plan” – and several neighbouring landowners expressed concern over potential impact on adjacent agricultural lands, drainage, and a plan to re-site the road entrance into the industrial subdivision near several homes.

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