An application has been submitted to the City of Delta to build a new market rental building in Ladner, a proposal that’s bigger than what was originally planned.
Requiring an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment, the application for the 79-unit complex at 4501 Arthur Dr. would see the historic Westholme Residence currently located at the property demolished.
In June 2023, the applicant presented a proposed four-storey, 56-unit rental apartment building at a Committee of the Whole meeting, but a formal application was not submitted to the city.
A recent planning department report notes that the proposal presented last year has similar design elements to what has been submitted now.
“Due to the rental tenure of the proposed apartments, the applicant has added 23 additional units in order to ensure the proposal can be brought forward as a rental project,” the report explains.
At last year’s presentation to council, architect Andrea Scott with Lovick Scott Architects Ltd., said there is an immediate need for rental accommodation in the community.
She added the existing house on the property is in very poor condition and would require extensive repairs. The house is listed on Delta’s Heritage Register and located within the Ladner Heritage Conservation Area.
A planning department report at the time noted that while the applicant provided an inspection report documenting the deteriorating condition of the existing heritage building, staff encouraged the applicant to consider retention, restoration and integration of the house with the proposed development, and to engage a heritage professional to provide a more substantive heritage evaluation report with possible mitigation and restoration recommendations.
Mayor George Harvie during the meeting, however, described the house as “rotting” and having long held up development at the property.
The now vacant heritage building formerly housed a seniors’ care facility called Delta Lodge.
The facility was relocated over decade ago after Fraser Health identified the replacement of the aging Ladner facility as a high priority. The health region at the time noted the building would have required significant upgrades to remain a care facility.
The privately-owned site was subsequently sold.
This site was later the subject of a subdivision application to accommodate the heritage building as well as seven single-detached bare land strata lots and common property for driveway access off Arthur Drive.
The application received third reading by council in Nov. 2017 but did not proceed further.
That application was subsequently abandoned when the property was sold to a new owner in 2019.
In 2021, a new application was submitted for a 61-bed community care facility at the property.
It would have comprised of a new three-storey building with one level of under-building parking.
The heritage house would have been relocated closer to Arthur Drive and fully restored and used as part of the proposed care facility. However, that application also didn’t proceed any further.
