Development near Highway 102 gets initial public airing

A day-long engagement session held on Wednesday by Halifax Regional Municipality focused on proposed developments near Highway 102.

In the morning, dozens of people gathered at St. Peter’s Anglican Church to review documents and posters showcasing proposed development plans for 255 hectares of land between Kearney Lake Road and Lacewood Drive, on the west side of Highway 102.

The land is adjacent to the proposed Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes regional park, and is owned by development companies Annapolis Group and B.D. Stevens. It was designated a special planning area by the province in May 2025, and the municipality will use the engagement to guide future development.

Participants provided concerns and feedback through notes and discussion with city employees. Many were worried about environmental impacts, including flooding and stormwater management.

Ross Grant, the city’s lead planner for the special planning area, said that additional environmental analysis is required before development will begin.

“As we need more transportation and we need more housing, we also need places for those people to enjoy nature,” said Margot Metcalfe, a hike leader with the Friends of Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes, which distributed information about the site’s potential environmental impact in an adjacent room.

“There’s a reason that this land remained undeveloped for so long, because it’s almost impossible to do safely,” said Friends chair Mary Ann McGrath. “So somebody’s behind the scenes pushing something and I don’t understand why. It just seems like a couple of old men got their knickers in a twist.”

Both the municipality and developers spoke about the potential for housing to be built on the site, but neither group had confirmed development plans.

Archie Hattie, president of Annapolis Group, read a prepared statement to The Signal, saying, “These lands are perfectly placed to provide the much-needed housing, public space and commercial space close to the core of Halifax … We’re glad that HRM is starting this planning work for these lands and look forward to getting through the process on it.”

B.D. Stevens project manager Mark VanZeumeren told reporters that the company is “poised” to be able to build affordable housing.

Still, Hattie cautioned that, “It’s too early in the process to get into those kind of details.”

“I want it made really clear we’re not against development,” said McGrath. “We need development. There are many, many places where development could happen faster and cheaper than here.”