City committee backs Victoria Park development study

A controversial plan to build a 17-storey high-rise on the edge of Victoria Park has sparked a study at London city hall.

The study is the result of three years of back and forth between Auburn Developments and city staff over a proposed high-rise at Wellington and Wolfe Street. Auburn first approached the city in 2015 wanting to build a 25-storey high-rise at 560-562 Wellington Street before changing that to 22-storey’s in 2016 and now 17 storeys.

With four very different neighbourhoods surrounding the park, London’s planning committee voted 6-0 on Monday in favour of studying how development around the park should occur.

City planner John Fleming said the study is crucial to moving forward.

“This study will give us some clarity as to how to deal with that application,” he said. “If this study were to give us some sense of heights and transitions it will give us some sense of where this particular site might snap into that bigger picture.”

The Woodfield Community Association opposes the development, saying it’s too tall and out of character for the neighbourhood.

Ward 5 Coun. Maureen Cassidy agrees the proposed high-rise is too tall.

“I’m glad that the applicant is still willing to keep talking. I agree with councillor Park that it’s still pretty much way out of the ballpark with where I think most of council sees the height around this park,” she said.

The site where Auburn wants to build currently has five and two-storey buildings.

According to a staff report, the study will “undertake a review of the existing plans, policies, and guidelines applying to the properties surrounding Victoria Park and to consider a comprehensive plan for the properties surrounding the park.”

“I think this is a really good step forward of about how we plan and develop in and around the Victoria Park area,” said Ward 13 Coun. Tanya Park. “I know there’s a lot of people who don’t want to see any sort of change in that area and the plan will be informed by public input and we’ll see what comes out of that process.”

No decision will be made on the proposed high-rise until the study is complete. City staff say because they will have to hire a consultant to help complete the study a firm timeline isn’t available. Staff hope to have the report done by the end of the year.

The issue now goes to full council next week.