Beechville development requires heritage impact study

Halifax regional council has agreed that a process to consider a development in Beechville, N.S., can get underway, but only if the developer does a heritage impact study.

An earlier attempt in May was stalled because of community concerns.

Members of the Beechville community told municipal staff they did not feel their concerns were being heard.

Armco Capital wants to build close to 1,300 homes as well as offices and stores between the Bayers Lake Business Park and Lovett Lake, located just north of St. Margarets Bay Road.

The 24-hectare site is adjacent to the Beechville Baptist Church.

Site with history

Beechville was founded in the early 1800s by black refugees.

The Baptist church, a baptismal path to Lovett Lake, a graveyard and former school are all considered historically important.

A spokesperson for the developer, Joachim Stroink, said Armco plans to meet with community members to figure out how to best protect their heritage.

"We need to recognize where the burial plots are within the community," said Stroink. "Right now we're surveying the lands so we can deed them the land that they want."

Buffering concerns

Coun. Lindell Smith said he is also worried about the impact of the new development on the existing community.

"I'm concerned about the buffering between the residential area and the church because the church is already being squeezed," said Smith.

Municipal planner Sean Gillis told regional council it has a lot of leeway because the developer is asking for changes to planning policy.

"There's a lot that could be on the table," said Gillis. "We can set buffers to create park land."

A community liaison group will also be set up to discuss issues such as park land and other amenities such as the creation of a community centre.

The province will be asked to help locate burial sites and sort out land titles.