Seven High Rises for Willowbrook?

A cluster of seven residential highrise towers is being proposed for a site near the Willowbrook Shopping Centre and the future SkyTrain station in Langley Township.

Ciccozzi Architecture is proposing to develop four residential towers, between 40 and 44 storeys, on top of a six-storey “podium” featuring shops and other businesses, in the 196500 block of Willowbrook Drive, currently occupied by the Willowtree Plaza.

 Another application proposes three residential towers, of 40, 34, and 28 storeys, again above a six-storey podium, in the 19600 block of Willowbrook Drive, which is across the street at a site currently hosting a car lot – it was once the location of the Willowbrook 6 Cinemas movie theatre.

The project is still being reviewed by Township staff, and has not yet come forward for the council’s consideration at a public meeting.

The potential highrise site is a short distance from the future SkyTrain station planned for the intersection of 196th Street and Fraser Highway.

The project may not be considered by the Township council right away, said Mayor Eric Woodward.

“As I see it, council will need to consider whether it is appropriate to consider such an application prior to the completion of an update to the Willowbrook Community Plan required as part of the delivery of the Surrey Langley SkyTrain,” Woodward told the Langley Advance Times, via email.

“Given the recent proposals by the BC NDP to eliminate public hearings and community consultation for development near future transit stations with new, mandated minimum density designations, it may now be doubly important that all housing in the area be delayed indefinitely until that in-depth community planning is completed first, while it is still permitted at all.”

The provincial government recently put forward new legislation that allows for greater density around rapid transit hubs. Within 200 metres of a SkyTrain station, the minimum allowable height for new developments is to be 20 storeys, and within 400 metres, the minimum height is 12 storeys.

Langley currently has two highrises under construction, both part of a project by Vesta Properties, in the Carvolth area near 200th Street and 86th Avenue. Those buildings are to be 34 and 26 storeys tall when complete.

The site appears to be just outside of the 4km zone around Langley Regional Airport that requires Transport Canada approval for buildings taller than 45 metres, to allow for safe approaches by pilots to the runways.

The Langley Advance Times has reached out to Ciccozzi Architecture for comment on the planned project.