Council approves major Chelmsford housing development

It was delayed by a few weeks, but a 370-unit housing development slated for Chelmsford was approved Nov. 25.

The project was deferred in October, when nobody from the company behind the plan was present at the planning committee meeting. But on Monday, developer Martin Belanger of Vytis Lands Ltd. and his lawyer were there to answer questions.

Vytis plans to build 370 homes and a 10-unit apartment building on its 129-acre property, located west of Errington Avenue. Part of the land is near a flood plain associated with the Whitson River, and the approval is contingent on 30 conditions that must be met first.

They include following the policy on building near flood plains, choosing appropriate street names for the major development, contributing to the cost of building sidewalks along the western side of Errington Avenue, and paying for all street lights.

Construction on Phase 1 of the project should begin next year, Belanger said. By 2019, that part of Errington will see 300 cars an hour during peak traffic times, five times as many compared to current traffic levels.

The land was zoned for future development. Parts will now be rezoned for low-density development for the homes, and medium-density for the apartment building.