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Construction at high-profile development in Qualicum Beach on hold

A second development permit for College Heights has expired

Third time's a charm?

The development permit has expired for the College Heights project in Qualicum Beach.

According to the Town of Qualicum Beach's director of planning Luke Sales, the developer's most recent permit expired April 17. Sales said this was the second permit on this project for the developer, PR Pomeroy Restoration & Construction Ltd. Development permits have a two-year life.

When The NEWS called Dean Pomeroy on April 14 about the expiring permit, he said: "I don't really have any comment at this time."

Sales said work can still be done on the interior of the buildings, but any further work would require a permit.

Sales said there was no current application for a third permit. He added that if the developer does reapply for another, the process would be relatively streamlined.

The heritage building part of the property, which was the location of the former College Inn and before that the Qualicum College Boys' School, will be a clubhouse to the surrounding apartment buildings. However, the exterior is still unfinished and covered by a blue tarp.

Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach realty owner/manager Clinton Miller said the clubhouse will be completed once a certain percentage of units are sold, but he added the developer will decide on that.

Miller is one of the realtors selling the first phase of the development, Cambridge Manor.

There are plans for two more apartment buildings, Berkshire Manor and Ashton Manor, for a total of 40 condos.

But Miller said those phases also won't be built until a certain percentage of units are sold in Cambridge Manor, which is the only completed phase of the development.

Because this development has been going on for so long, Sales said there have been complaints from neighbours.

But he added the town is "relatively tight-lipped" on releasing those complaints.

Meanwhile, on the real estate end, Miller said the expired permit is "not too big of a deal."

Since The NEWS last reported on the development in November 2014, realtors have changed offices and Miller said because of that, his team relisted all the units and made "drastic" price reductions on some of the units. According to the listings on Miller's website, prices now range from $389,000 to $535,920 for a first-floor unit. Square footage ranges from 1,436 sq.ft. to 1,571 sq. ft.

Miller said his team and the developer are looking to sell all units in the first building by summer.

Eight units have been sold so far, said Miller, with another eight remaining in the Cambridge Manor building.



Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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