Surrey to see 700 new homes and amenities built near transit hubs
Funded by the provincial government, the new developments will follow the Surrey Langley SkyTrain expansion
The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project, which is funded by the B.C. government, is expected to bring in at least 700 homes and the potential for amenities. (Flickr/ Province of B.C.)
Surrey residents can expect to see hundreds of new homes and amenities built near transit hubs in the city with the development of the new Surrey Langley SkyTrain project.
The SkyTrain expansion is estimated to bring in at least 700 homes with the possibility of including amenities like retail and commercial spaces, child care and educational services, and transportation connections, a B.C. government news release reads.
The province of B.C. has purchased 14 properties in Surrey, which amounts to a land footprint of about 1.6 hectares, for the development of these new homes and amenities. The initiative comes under the NDP government’s Homes for People plan, which aims to deliver up to 10,000 homes near transit hubs over the next 10 to 15 years.
The City of Surrey had a population of 610,480 last year, which is projected to increase to 925,620 by 2051, according to the city’s website.
Elizabeth Model is the CEO of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (DSBIA), which aims to help and support businesses and commercial property owners improve the economy of the area, moving the city forward.
Model says the new property developments and SkyTrain expansion will change the face of Surrey’s central hubs, “building a proper downtown.” She also says the 10-to-15-year time span set out for the project is too short.
The project will take time since it mostly consists of high rise, multi-functional buildings, which demand lengthy planning and construction, she says.
“I believe that it has to be a little bit longer than that because growth doesn’t happen overnight,” Model says. “It’s going to take community consultation, city time, staff time, and then also it has to be the right time for the developers.”
The development of previous and in-progress high rise, mixed-use buildings around King George Station and Surrey Central Station have been done well and serve as a template for other jurisdictions, Model says.
As for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain project, Model says the expansion will be a boon to the cities’ downtown areas, bringing more people south of the Fraser River together and improving the local economy.
Pedestrian-friendly businesses will be especially supported by the new transit hubs, Model says, including walk-up banks, coffee shops, eateries, as well as small grocery and convenience stores.
The Runner reached out to the province’s ministry of housing for an interview, but it declined due to the provincial election and interregnum period.
For more information about the new homes and amenities coming to Surrey, visit www.rb.gy/th38o1.
