Delta council at its committee of the whole meeting Tuesday heard from the applicant behind a proposal to build a 56-unit rental apartment building in Ladner.
The purpose-built rental complex would be located at 4501 Arthur Dr., the site of the former Delta Lodge seniors’ care facility which is now vacant. The proposal is still at a preliminary concept stage with a formal development application yet to be submitted.
The proposal would see an existing historic house on the site, the Westhome Residence, demolished.
Hedges surrounding the property and trees would also be removed.
Two years ago, the city received a development application to construct a 61-bed community care facility at the property.
That application proposed a new three-storey building with one level of under-building parking.
The heritage house would have been located closer to Arthur Drive and fully restored as part of the care facility.
At Tuesday'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 notes that while the applicant provided an inspection report documenting the deteriorating condition of the existing heritage building, staff encourage 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.
Staff told council they would discuss with the applicant potential options, but Mayor George Harvie described the house as “rotting” and having long held up development at the property.
Council members, following the presentation, said they look forward to seeing a formal application come forward.
Staff said the next step for the owners is to prepare detailed architectural and landscape plans before submitting a formal development application. A public engagement process would take place for the application, which also requires a public hearing as it needs an Official Community Plan amendment.
The same site was also the subject of a previous subdivision application that would have accommodated the heritage house. That application included seven single-detached bare land strata lots and common property for driveway access off Arthur Drive.
The application received third reading by council in November 2017, but it was subsequently abandoned, and the property was sold.
