Early discussions show how Perth Highway 7 development could support housing and infrastructure planning
PERTH — Perth town council has received an update on early discussions about potential development north of Highway 7, an area the town hopes could support future growth.
Staff recently met with major landowners in the roughly 85-hectare area bounded by Blueberry Creek, Highway 7 and the commercial corridor along County Road 511. The goal was to begin discussions on how the land could be developed co-ordinately.
Town planners say the area could eventually accommodate a mix of residential and commercial uses, along with parkland and protected natural features such as Blueberry Creek. Protecting the creek corridor and surrounding wetlands is expected to be an important component of any long-term development plan.
The town is also a landowner within the study area and could play a direct role in future development alongside private property owners. Staff say bringing landowners together early is intended to help address long-standing challenges and identify opportunities for collaboration before detailed planning begins.
Development of the lands has faced challenges for years due to drainage and grading issues on the flat terrain. Earlier infrastructure studies proposed costly pumping systems, while later plans explored low-impact development techniques to reduce costs. However, uncertainty around how those systems would be regulated and maintained raised concerns among developers.
An infrastructure master plan for the area was first completed in 2013 to support potential development, and a development charges bylaw was adopted at the time in anticipation of future servicing needs. A 2018 update explored low-impact development techniques, though those approaches have yet to be clearly regulated.
“There was an offer put on the table of potentially cost-sharing some of those studies as a whole. So for the whole area, we could cost-share an archeological study,” said Joanna Bowes, director of development services.
Staff say they hope landowners, including the town, will continue working together to explore shared studies, infrastructure planning and possible cost-sharing opportunities. Co-ordinating background studies across the larger area could help streamline the planning process and reduce duplication as development proposals move forward.
The timing also aligns with upcoming planning work, including updates to the town’s transportation master plan, official plan and zoning bylaw, expected by the end of 2026. Improvements along Highway 7 and a grant related to the construction of the town’s fifth sewage treatment cell are also expected to provide additional capacity to support future growth.
“We have, as you are aware, put out an RFP for another infrastructure master plan. I hope we’ll look at things holistically through that exercise. For example, there is the location of the water tower, and we need to understand pipe size and how to get services up there and fire capacity and all that,” said Bowes.
The initial meeting with landowners was described as exploratory, with participants raising a range of questions and perspectives about the future of the area. While no formal next steps were established, staff expect to reconvene the group once more information becomes available through the town’s ongoing planning studies.
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