The town council in Oakville, Ont., has unanimously approved the Rose Corporation’s official plan and by-law amendments for a 5,600-residence mixed-use project on a former General Electric property.

The approval clears a major planning hurdle for the proposed 27-acre mixed-use redevelopment at 420 South Service Road East, said the company.

The former General Electric manufacturing site, located east of Trafalgar Road, is the largest redevelopment parcel in Midtown Oakville. The proposal calls for 14 buildings, at-grade retail and other non-residential uses, and approximately five acres of parks and open space. The development is also planned to include a new transit stop served by the proposed Trafalgar Road bus rapid-transit line and regional GO bus service, while Oakville GO Station is about a 10-minute walk away.

The project received a positive recommendation from town staff and support from resident associations before council’s unanimous approval. Rose said the proposal evolved through consultations with municipal staff, council and residents.

“From the beginning, we believed the best communities are created together,” said Daniel Berholz, president of Rose. “The ideas, questions and feedback we received from council, town staff and residents challenged us to think differently and ultimately helped us shape a plan that better reflects Oakville’s vision and the community’s priorities.”

The master-planned community is designed around parks, public spaces and pedestrian connections, and includes a retail-oriented high street, an activated underpass, two public plazas and a timber-beam pedestrian bridge. The design team includes Graziani & Corazza, SLA and Allies and Morrison.

“We worked closely with our design team to thoughtfully respond to community feedback and the town’s vision for Midtown while creating a world-class destination that will support future residents, enrich the broader community, and attract visitors,” said David Bannerman, vice-president of development at Rose. “The proposed design is firmly rooted in the character of Oakville’s downtown and neighbourhoods, while drawing on European experience in creating human-scaled, walkable streets and public spaces.”

The company is targeting late 2027 to begin construction on the first phase, a purpose-built rental apartment building.

Pictured: The Rose Corporation’s proposed mixed-use development in Oakville, Ont.

Illustration: Allies and Morrieson