Residents of a neighbourhood near Western University are vowing to continue fighting a proposal for an eight-storey student development on Sarnia Road. It follows London city council’s Planning and Environment Committee’s decision to endorse the project. “There’s no need to go up to eight storeys here,” said area resident Bill Tsioros. “Too dense of a development for the area,” added Bill’s son, Matt Tsioros. Each has a home in the Orchard Park neighbourhood north of Sarnia Road near Western. They’re among area residents fighting an eight-storey student apartment building proposal on a 1.12 hectare piece of property at 299-307 Sarnia Road, currently the site of two family homes. City council had already approved a six-storey apartment for the site. But on Wednesday, the council committee supported the revised taller building proposal. “They’ve decided that, ‘well we’re going to apply for eight.’ And that’s what finally set off the alarm bells in the neighbourhood. And the neighbourhood has mobilized,” exclaimed Bill. “With the congestion already on Sarnia Road, we’re just concerned that a building of this size and density is just going to create massive amounts of through-traffic and spillover,” added Matt. The proposal, by developer Kimko Inc. along with a numbered company, would have 204 units with 188 underground parking spots. Ward councillor, Sam Trosow, says the previous six storey proposal was a compromise, but added the new plan doesn’t address real needs. “Developer has made it very clear that they’re going to be gearing this toward towards a very, very high-end, luxury, upper-income student. And just talking to the students, talking to the representatives of the student government, that’s not what the students need. The students need affordable housing,” Trosow said. Planning and Environment committee chair, Councillor Steve Lehman supported the staff recommendation to endorse the proposal. He says it’s hard to say ‘no’ when all the boxes have been checked. “We talk about urban sprawl, and we all want to avoid paving over farmland. There’s only one solution to that, in order to drive housing. And that’s through infill projects like that and get higher density. I think this is an appropriate spot for this type of development,” said Lehman. The final decision goes to council Sept. 22.
