The first subdivision application has come in for the giant Sandstone development anticipated to transform the southern area of Nanaimo.
Seacliff Properties has submitted an application for a 10-lot industrial subdivision in area 3 of the development, south of Duke Point Highway.
"The zoning in place is for I4 industrial, so there's a variety of permitted uses," said Georgia Desjardins, Seacliff's vice-president of development. "What our focus is right now is working closely with the City of Nanaimo through the subdivision process. Once we receive some preliminary feedback we will be moving forward and likely starting to do some marketing for the lands and seeing what types of tenant or user groups are out in the market."
The Sandstone development is made up of 294 hectares in the southern boundaries of the City of Nanaimo, at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Duke Point Highway.
According to a 2022 master plan, Sandstone will be a new employment and economic hub, with retail services, commercial/office spaces and amenities, a range of housing options as well as parks and open spaces. The plan notes that a major focus of Sandstone "is to provide new economic and business opportunities, providing extensive industrial growth, along with retail, business and employment centre."
The 294 hectares are broken up into six distinct development areas. Development area 3, where the 10-lot industrial subdivision would be, is just over 20 hectares.
"Following completion of our re-zoning back in May of last year we've since been really focusing our attention on working through some of the engineering work required in relation to some key infrastructure improvements," Desjardins said.
She said it is difficult to estimate a timeline for industrial development, but Seacliff's hope is to have preliminary layout approval over the next couple of months, so it can move into early stages of construction before the end of the year.
Next, Desjardins said Seacliff will be developing more detailed planning for area 6, which is located on the west side of the Trans-Canada Highway and is zoned for residential use. The goal is to have a subdivision application submitted for that area before the end of the year.
"We're really committed to bringing this project to life," Desjardins said. "It has been many, many years in the making, so we're just excited to mark this important step forward in what will be a large-scale and long-term project that is really going to take a lot of vibrancy and growth to south Nanaimo."
