Affordable units added to controversial high rise proposal across from Victoria Park

Proposed high rise near downtown London, Ont.

London, Ont. -

A tentative agreement to include affordable housing units may swing political support in favour of a controversial high rise near downtown London.

Councillor Shawn Lewis has submitted an amendment to next week’s city council meeting that would incorporate 12 affordable units, at 70 per cent of market rate, into the rezoning application by Auburn Developments to permit a 17-storey building at 560-562 Wellington St. overlooking Victoria Park.

Seven of the affordable units would be provided in the new building, and five units would be created in the applicant’s existing building portfolio.

Lewis writes in a letter to council colleagues that he was uneasy supporting the development in part because it lacked any affordable units.

“I reached out to both the applicant and to our staff to express these concerns and some discussion about how it might be addressed,” Lewis writes in his letter to council colleagues.

On Friday, Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan expressed hesitancy to support rezoning the property unless the development included a guarantee of some deeply discounted units.

At the time telling CTV News, “If it had affordable housing in it, somewhere in the 70 per cent range [of average market rent], I would be much more comfortable supporting this one.”

“I think for some people [on council] this will be the swing factor in their decision,” predicts Lewis. “I think it’s still going to be a close vote because I understand the neighbourhood doesn’t love it, but we have an opportunity to do infill, that’s inward and upward, like the London Plan calls for in the downtown core.”

City planners recommend council refuse Auburn’s requested changes because the building’s scale is not compatible with policies, including The London Plan and the Woodfield Heritage Conservation District.

The six-year history of the application suggests it will be another close vote when council makes a final decision at its Nov. 16 meeting.