The Nova Scotia government has designated four new special planning areas in the Halifax region to fast-track the development of 23,500 homes.

Many, if not most, of the homes appear likely to become multi-family units. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr designated the special planning areas in accordance with legislation permitting him to do so.

Up to 18,000 units are slated for an area known as the Westphal urban reserve lands in Dartmouth, N.S. Plans also call for 96 LTC rooms to be built in Westphal and two other special planning areas.

Up to 4,714 units, including 214 in the first phase, are ticketed for Paper Mill Lake in Bedford, N.S. Meanwhile, about 511 residential units and 144 LTC rooms are planned for 1226 Cole Harbour Road in Cole Harbour, N.S.

And, 1109 Fall River Road is slated to receive 316 residential units and 144 LTC rooms.

“Obviously, we’ve approved all of them because of the continuing pressing need for housing and the realization that, through this process, we can take time off of the amount of time it takes to see these projects completed,” Lohr told reporters.

“That being said, they still have to go through all of the normal processes of permitting and that sort of work.”

He previously designated 11 special planning areas in the Halifax region. Special planning area designations grant him the authority to approve development projects within the areas outlined in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act.

According to a government news release, the designation removes barriers and can save four or more months of municipal planning time.

Photo: Government of Nova Scotia