Nova Scotia

Halifax unveils final draft of Centre Plan for 15 years of growth

The final draft of Halifax's blueprint for development in the city core for the next 15 years was released Friday afternoon.

170-page report outlines plan to focus HRM's growth in downtown Dartmouth and Halifax

Planners hope the Centre Plan will be adopted by the end of this year. (Halifax.ca)

The final draft of the Halifax Regional Municipality's much-anticipated blueprint for development in the city core for the next 15 years has been released.

The 170-page report outlines how the city plans to encourage 40 per cent of all new growth to happen on the peninsula and within the Circumferential Highway in Dartmouth. 

It outlines five growth centres where buildings up to 20 storeys can be built: Gottingen Street, Young Street, Spring Garden Road, Quinpool Road and Wyse Road. There are also 14 corridors where construction between three and six storeys would be allowed.   

The proposed Centre Plan includes a section on tall buildings, which are defined as seven or more storeys. There are proposals on how to preserve sunlight and a policy statement that makes it clear existing tall buildings don't necessarily set a precedent.  

The details will be presented to the community design advisory committee on Wednesday, the first step in what will be a long approval process.  

The draft plan will also have to go to the community planning and economic development committee and then on to regional council.

Planners hope all sections of the Centre Plan will be adopted by the end of this year.