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A 30-storey apartment building is coming to a neighbourhood just north of London’s downtown core after a divisive debate Tuesday at city council.
The plan by York Developments replace an existing 30-unit rental building and two houses with a 286-unit tower at the corner of Ridout and Kent streets. It passed in council by an 11 to 4 vote.
Council members voting in favour, including Mayor Josh Morgan, said it’s a development that meets London’s key planning goals: A high-density residential building that adds significant density to downtown.
“This is the kind of thing that my mayoral colleagues in other cities would say ‘yes’ to in a second if they had that opportunity,” he said.
Coun. David Ferreira said council is ignoring the city’s own planning rules by approving a 30-storey tower for the corner of Ridout and Kent streets. (Andrew Lupton/CBC news)
Among those against was Coun. David Ferreira. He said the tower is a poor fit for the block and runs counter to the area’s planning rules.
Buildings up to 45 storeys are allowed just a few blocks to the south, however London’s planning guidance rules say the block at 550 Ridout St. N. should be limited to 22 storeys. Staff were offering in-principle support to a building on the site no taller than 18 storeys.
Build ignores planning rules, councillor says
Ferreira said by approving the building, council is ignoring the city’s own planning rules.
“We did all this work on how the intensity and height should be managed, and then we’re going to have one big tower,” he said. “It doesn’t fit within our planning policies.”
In a letter to council, York has said it will support the displaced tenants either by offering them $10,000 to move or will help them find another apartment.
Ferreira said the developer should go further and offer tenants a spot in the new building at similar rents.
An amendment to the development proposal approved by councillors Tuesday calls for York to put forward a tenant relocation plan. However, staff said the city doesn’t have the power to hold the developer to it.
Changes to provincial legislation passed in 2022 removed the ability of municipalities to require developers to include affordable units in new builds.
“There’s nothing enforceable here,” said Coun. Sam Trosow. “There’s nothing that’s going to protect the tenants.”
A number of members of the tenants advocacy group ACORN were in the gallery of council chambers for the debate. Some held an imagine showing the outline of the proposed building over the existing buildings on the block.
Coun. Steve Lehman voted in favour of York Developments’ proposal, saying density downtown is preferred to allowing sprawl to happen outside the city’s core. (Andrew Lupton/CBC News)
Coun. Steve Lehman admitted the building was a big change for the area. However, he said adding residential units to the downtown brings big benefits.
“It mitigates urban sprawl, traffic congestion and [supports] a vibrant downtown,” he said.
Some opponents of the plan turned up in the gallery of council chambers. They were opposing a plan to build a 30-storey apartment building at the corner of Ridout and York Streets. (Andrew Lupton/CBC News)
