Redevelopment of London Psychiatric Hospital sails past first planning hurdle

The 65 hectare (160 acre) property of the former Psychiatric Hospital lands could soon be transformed into a modern transit-based neighbourhood of more than 10,000 Londoners.

On Monday, city hall’s Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) considered changes to the secondary plan that governs redevelopment of the site and a request to demolish eight of the buildings that lack significant heritage value.

“I want to see shovels in the ground on this property sooner than later,” said Coun. Shawn Lewis to his colleagues.

Old Oak Properties purchased the property that stretches from Dundas Street to Oxford Street along the east side of Highbury Avenue in early 2019.

Since that time, the developer has been consulting with civic administration to finalize plans for the city’s next neighbourhood, Legacy Village.

Old Oak Properties wants to construct:

• 7 high-rise residential blocks
• 5 mid-rise residential blocks
• 2 mid-rise mixed-use blocks
• 126 single detached dwellings
• extensions to Rushland Avenue and Howland Avenue
• 8 new streets

There will also be open space and parkland blocks.

Offering front-door access to London’s rapid transit system, the tallest buildings (up to 22 storeys) will be located along Highbury Avenue and Oxford Street.

“It’s quite appropriate to have those heights, up to 22 storeys along Oxford and Highbury,” Coun. Stephen Turner told his colleagues on the committee. “This makes a lot of sense.”

“This is a transit village and this is something that’s going to be quite an exciting area,” praised Coun. Anna Hopkins.

Heritage buildings like the chapel and old psychiatric hospital will be preserved and incorporated into the neighbourhood, but eight other buildings face the wrecking ball, including:

• north pavilion building
• Ontario government building
• tractor barn
• granary
• soccer shed
• potting shed
• laundry building
• powerhouse

Heritage advocates asked that two of the buildings slated for demolition be extensively photographed, but by a 3-2 vote PEC recommended against the request.

Lewis noted that the buildings in question have been vacant for years and seriously degraded.

“We’ve heard from our heritage [planners] that there is not a heritage value to these properties, so I am not prepared to hold up projects weeks and weeks,” Lewis added.

The planning committee unanimously supported the requested amendments to the secondary plan and the demolition permit.

Council makes a final decision June 14.