Neighbours object to proposed 600-unit apartment development in Winsloe

Some people are worried about what a proposed 600-unit development will mean for their community of Winsloe, on the northwestern edge of Charlottetown.

The Hidden Valley subdivisionwould be off Malpeque Road, above Sherwood Road.The development plan calls for 10 apartment buildings with 60 units each, and would need the city to approve a zoning change to allow for higher density use.

George Crawford lives in the area and has a petition going around with more than 100 signatures from residents who don't want it there.

"We have concerns about our property values going down, we have concerns about our quality of life, the increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic coming in here," he said. "We have concerns about vandalism coming from 600 apartment units across the street."

Will Zafiris, who works for developerNew Age Investment Group, said the company would put in an access road and then sell the lots to other developers who would build the apartments.

He believes the subdivision won't affect traffic as much as people think. He would like to see a roundabout on Malpeque Road to help with the flow, though.

"Any time with a new development, you see concerns over traffic. This is about a 13,000-car-a-day area of traffic, and when you're looking at a build-up over eight to 10 years potentially of 600 cars or so, it's really five per cent or less.

"So when you actually drill the numbers down over a period of time, it's not a huge change. It should be gradual if anything."

Anne McLean, who lives in the area, said she supports more housingbut "not on the scale they are planning." She worries about the need for everything from park space to grocery stores.

"Too many people in too small an area there's just way too much of everything in such a small area," she said.

Charlottetown city council is expected to make a final decision on rezoning for the projectin the next couple of months.

If it's approved, Zafiris said construction might start this summer.

"It's become apparent there is a housing crisis in place," he said.

"The city published a reportlast year stating that they want higher density. They want higher density on transit corridors, which is essentially what we have right here."