County approves land use redesignation of De Havilland development

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The next step in the development of De Havilland’s aircraft campus has been approved by the county, as amendments to land use bylaws 2022-28 and 2022-29. 

The former, amending the West Highway 1 Area Structure Plan, was geared towards making textual amendments revising figures and maps and appending the De Havilland Field area concept plan.

2022-29 was proposing to redesignate the subject lands from agricultural general district, to direct control district. The bylaws were presented during the Aug. 15 regular meeting of Wheatland County council concurrently, as they were dependent on one another to pass in order for the ultimate project to continue. 

A report detailing the amendments is included in the council agenda for the meeting date, which is publicly available. 

Wheatland County council voted to approve the bylaw amendments, which have adjusted the details referring to the land parcels which are planned to be occupied by De Havilland, and allows the applicant to establish and utilize temporary storage of materials on the land for purposes such as moving parts and equipment to the site prior to construction. 

Council voted on the bylaws following a public hearing, during which support and opposition were heard from members of surrounding residences and communities. 

The county stressed these approvals do not represent the final approvals of the facilities and campus, and there will be more opportunities for planning, discussion, and for the community to speak on the matter prior to the beginning of construction. 

“It’s a game changer, this really brings the growth and the awareness to this region that is needed for so long,” said Scott Silva, director of business development for the Legacy Farm project. “What is happening out here is really going to set the bar for the next 50 years and beyond to come.”

Not everyone is on board.

“What about agriculture? Just a couple of years ago the county wrote a municipal development plan on preserving farmland and agriculture and the agricultural way of life,” said Ron Heckle, a speaking member of the surrounding community. “All of a sudden big business comes around flashing their money and you immediately forget about that plan that you wrote.”

The subject lands in question are approximately 1557.92 acres in size, located roughly 11 kilometers west of the Town of Strathmore, consisting of parcels on both sides of Highway 1. 

The plan area currently consists of cultivated agricultural lands with intermittent water courses, ephemeral water bodies, and marshes distributed throughout the area.

Surrounding lands are designated for industrial uses, with some agricultural and residential parcels located south and to the northeast.

The De Havilland campus is proposed to consist of an aircraft assembly facility, parts manufacturing and distribution centre, maintenance and repair, overhaul facility, runway, and associated commercial and industrial uses.

Other concerns which were brought forward by the local community included a decreased quality of life for nearby residents, questions regarding direct benefits to Wheatland County residents from the presence of the campus, job creation specifics, pollution, noise, stormwater drainage, and potential flooding. 

De Havilland, during their time to speak, made efforts to address the concerns of residents and community members, and aimed to reassure people the facility development would not turn nightmarish for their future neighbors. 

Near the conclusion of the discussion, Reeve Amber Link spoke about the difficulty present in balancing the county’s priorities and the toll it has taken attempting to manage the potentially titanic development within the county. 

“Our farmers need our roads, they need them to be in good condition, and our ratepayers expect it. And we knew that in order to do that, going into the future we needed to diversify the economy,” she said. “Agricultural taxation is highly regulated, and even though the vast majority of our land is agricultural, it doesn’t generate a proportional amount of taxes, and I support that and understand the rationale for that, but in order to be sustainable we needed to take action.”

More information regarding the bylaw amendments is included within the Aug. 15 county agenda, and the discussions heard during the regular meeting of council are documented for public viewing as part of the meeting recording, published on the county’s YouTube channel.