The Municipality of Brighton has awarded the contract for the Development Master Plan and Business Model for its Land Bank Program as it works to bring more affordable housing to the community.
Mayor Brian Ostrander says Brighton has purchased 27 acres of land just east of No Frills and Monday awarded the contract to Urban Strategies to develop the master plan that will ultimately result in the land being sold for development.
“And require someone to build out those lands with a mixed use of housing and commercial spaces as well as green spaces so that we can help insure that there are homes available in the community that are affordable.”
Ostrander says this is their first foray into a land bank program, a concept started in Red Deer, Alberta several decades ago.
That community has been continuously refilling its land bank though Ostrander can’t say yet if Brighton will do the same or if it’s a one-time plan.
“At this stage it’s to make sure this Development Master Plan rolls out and we can get it into the hands of local builders and developers, mostly to make sure we are recouping the investment. The intent here is not to burden the taxpayer but to make sure we’re providing affordable housing in the community.”
He stresses the intent is not to make money or compete with local developers.
“And I know there is a bit of that concern out there but the reality is our local developers aren’t able to, for all the good reasons, aren’t able to provide a home for, you know, under $400,000. And that’s sort of our goal here is to try to make sure that folks making an average income here in Northumberland County are able to get in the housing market.”
Ostrander expects it will be a couple of years before the master plan is complete.
The contract was awarded to Urban Strategies at a cost of $351,300.75 plus HST.
