London city hall briefs: Lambeth townhomes, Victoria Park

A rezoning to allow a widely opposed 22-townhome development in Lambeth was endorsed unanimously by council’s planning committee Monday night. The vote came despite intense neighbourhood objections, everything from the intensity of the two-storey proposal to traffic, sewage and drainage concerns. Several nearby homeowners said infill doesn’t make sense for quiet James Street and would “ruin” the nature or character of the neighbourhood. Politicians pointed to city policies emphasizing infill as key to curbing costly urban sprawl, stressing  the development was considered carefully and not “rubber stamped.” It still requires approval from city council at its March 22 meeting. Read More