Hundreds of residents in a Brampton neighbourhood are rallying against a proposed 10-storey apartment tower and townhouse development they say would dramatically change the character of their community.
The controversial proposal involves plans for a 10-storey mid-rise apartment building with 162 residential units at 8799 Heritage Rd., along with three blocks of stacked townhouses containing an additional 48 units.
The application was submitted by Glen Schnarr and Associates Inc. on behalf of a numbered company and was discussed this week at a City of Brampton Planning and Development Committee meeting.
Residents from the Westfield area packed the meeting and submitted petitions signed by more than 500 community members opposing the project.
Local resident Rushiraj Shah told councillors the opposition from the neighbourhood was overwhelming and unified.
“Council is not being asked to guess how the community feels,” Shah said. “The community has made its position unmistakably clear.”
Residents say many homeowners purchased properties in the area believing the site would eventually contain only 17 detached homes, not a large mid-rise development.
Another resident representative, Gurpreet Sehmbi, argued the shift represents a complete departure from the original vision presented to buyers.
“To pivot from 17 detached homes to a 10-storey tower is not an incremental evolution,” Sehmbi said. “It is a wholesale abandonment of the vision that was presented to the people who live here now.”
Community concerns include:
- Increased traffic congestion
- Child and pedestrian safety
- Density and neighbourhood compatibility
- Pressure on local infrastructure
- Lack of transparency from developers
- Concerns about an allegedly outdated traffic study
Residents also raised questions about three existing structures currently located on the property that were previously reviewed for possible heritage designation.
Although the buildings were considered, city staff ultimately decided they did not meet the criteria to be added to Brampton’s heritage register.
The property is currently zoned agricultural, meaning the developer would require official plan and zoning amendments before proceeding with residential apartment and townhouse construction.
A city planning report acknowledged several concerns surrounding the proposal, including:
- Transition to surrounding low-density homes
- Building height and setbacks
- Increased density
- Traffic impacts on the neighbourhood
City staff said they will continue reviewing the application and report back to council after addressing community concerns before any zoning changes are considered.
Residents are now urging the city to reject the proposal entirely in its current form, arguing the scale of the development is incompatible with the existing neighbourhood character.