Starlight Developments is pleased to share some exciting news regarding a proposal to develop a portion of the property and make improvements around the existing Lochside Apartments. The development would take place to the west of the existing buildings and along Lochside Drive.
Through this website, we invite you to learn more about the project and share with us your questions and feedback. We look forward to hearing from you.
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. We honor the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations, particularly the Tsawout First Nation on whose reserve this housing project is within close proximity to, and recognize the historic connection and the significant cultural contributions to this territory of the Indigenous peoples who have inhabited it over time.
As we go about our work at Starlight, we remain committed to learning, understanding and respecting the rich Indigenous history and modern contributions of the First Peoples in this land. We strive to honour and integrate this understanding in our business practices, partnerships and community service. We understand that this acknowledgement is but one step in our journey towards reconciliation and commitment to building respectful relationships with Indigenous communities.
The Plan
The proposed development consists of a 131-unit, 6-storey wood-frame purpose-built rental building with 1 level of underground parking, a commercial retail unit (CRU) and an amenity building.
The project reflects the aspirations of the Marigold Lands master plan, including our rental housing development under construction at the adjacent 2515 Hackett Crescent, and serves to create a more complete community in this identified neighbourhood node within the Urban Containment Boundary. Our proposal for 7840 Lochside Drive strives to implement the shared vision of a highly connected, sensitive, and thoughtful neighbourhood design welcoming greater housing choice for Central Saanich.
FAQ’s
The development includes:
- Keeping the existing buildings at 7840 Lochside Drive.
- A new 6 storey mid-rise apartment building with underground parking on the underutilized parking lot on the east side of the property.
- A new resident amenity building off Lochside Drive that will provide a gym, flex room, and change rooms for the pool. This will also include a leasing and property management office.
- A new retail/commercial building along Lochside drive.
- Improved outdoor amenity space at ground level between the new and existing buildings.
- Overall Improved landscaping around the site and upgrades to the existing parking lot; and, including new garbage and recycling facilities.
The development process takes time and there will be no immediate changes to the property other than regular maintenance. We would first need to secure the necessary approvals from the District of Central Saanich to permit the proposed development and then to begin any construction. As a current resident of The Lochside Apartments, you would have access to the new outdoor amenity spaces provided as part of this development.
Once approvals have been received and construction is able to begin, there will be some construction related noise and dust as well as interim parking changes, however, we are committed to ensuring that we keep any interferences and inconveniences to our residents at a minimum.
Please feel free to reach out to your Property Manager if you require any special accommodation during the development process, and we will proactively try and accommodate your needs and requests.
The development will not affect your rent. The costs of the projects and enhancements will not in any way be passed along to you. Any increases permitted through the Rental Tenancy Act would still apply to your current rent.
There will be no immediate impacts to your parking space. Some residents may have to temporarily relocate their parking spot to another location during certain periods of construction. Advanced notice will be provided to all residents. Further, the rent for your parking space will not be affected by the development.
No. We need to receive the appropriate approvals, including a rezoning and development permit from the District of Central Saanich before we can begin any construction work. We submitted the rezoning and development permit application in November 2023 and we anticipate that it will be approximately 12 to 16 months to get the required approvals to rezone the site.
Yes. All of our current residents will be given priority registration opportunities. Rents for the new apartment units are not known at this time and we will share this information with our residents as soon as they have been determined.
Resident and Neighbourhood Engagement
In the summer of 2024, we hosted one-on-one meetings with residents of the Lochside Apartments to discuss the proposed application and receive feedback on the design. Residents expressed concerns with the proposed townhomes along Lochside Drive and emphasized the preference to retain the mature trees and open lawn space. Based on resident feedback, the proposed townhomes were removed from the design in November 2024 and resubmitted to the District of Central Saanich for review and consideration.
In the fall of 2023, Devon Properties hosted an Information Session to Lochside Apartments tenants and neighbours of the Marigold community to inform them of a proposed infill development and other improvements for the site. At the meeting, representatives from Devon as well as the Starlight Development team and their consultants acquired feedback on the project and answered questions that were raised. Tenants and neighbours expressed interest in the on-site residential amenity upgrades, landscaping, and commercial space opportunity. However, residents shared feedback on the existing challenges with traffic and on-street parking congestion along Lochside Drive and Mount Newton Cross Road. Starlight Developments is continuing to collaborate with the District of Central Saanich in understanding and working to find improvements to the traffic and parking congestion in the community. We welcome feedback the bottom of our webpage.
Reports and documents submitted to the District of Central Saanich
- Architectural Drawings / NOV 2023 / Download
Team /
At Starlight Developments we believe in the lasting value of complete communities that work for people. We are proud to be one of Canada’s leading developers and managers of purpose-built rental housing, office, retail, and mixed-use developments. We want our residents to experience improved quality of living, with access to best in class amenities. We build environments that are modern, diverse, and sustainable places where people want to live, work, shop and play. And we are committed to protecting the health and safety of our residents, staff and neighbours.
Starlight believes in being active, engaged and contributing members of the community.
Tell us what you think.
We want to hear from you. Please share your feedback and questions and we will get back to you as soon as we can.