Just the Facts:
●Polocorp Inc. will be constructing 185 residential units, including single detached homes, townhouses, and stacked townhouses at 155 and 171 Guelph Avenue in Cambridge.
● Restoration and maintenance of the 1912 Forbes Estate home will be a requirement since the conservation easement is in effect.
● Previously zoned OS1 and R2 and received approval to rezone to a site-specific zoning.
● Development plans were reduced from 210 units and a 12-storey apartment to 185 units, with condominium road access to preserve trees and heritage features.
● Ontario Land Tribunal approved subdivision into 16 blocks over two phases.
CAMBRIDGE — Polocorp Inc. has received the green light for a new residential project in Cambridge, which incorporates the preservation and restoration of the historic Forbes Estate at 155-171 Guelph Avenue.
Constructed in 1912 by George Forbes, a prominent figure in Hespeler’s history, the heritage home will be maintained as the surrounding subdivision is developed.
The 5.25-hectare property, located at 155-171 Guelph Avenue, will transition from its current OS1 and R2 zoning to site-specific zoning.
The new development plan includes 185 residential units comprising single detached homes, townhouses, and stacked townhouses.
The development plans are a revision from the original proposal, which included 210 units and a 12-storey apartment building.
Feedback from public consultations and discussions with city staff led to the removal of the apartment building, thereby reducing the total unit count and modifying the housing mix.
To preserve more existing trees and maintain the heritage aesthetic, Polocorp Inc. has eliminated seven freehold lots initially planned to front onto Guelph Avenue.
Instead, these units will access Guelph Avenue via a condominium road. Additionally, a “no development” zone has been designated along the western edge of the property and the northern boundary adjacent to homes on Shaw Avenue.
A significant component of the development is the conservation easement established in 2022, which ensures the 1912 Forbes Estate home remains intact and well-maintained.
This easement protects the home’s exterior heritage attributes and landscape features, such as the winding driveway, front lawn vegetation, and the stone rubble wall along Guelph Avenue. George Forbes, the first mayor of Hespeler and a key local mill operator, once resided in this historic home.
The Ontario Land Tribunal has approved the subdivision plan, dividing the estate into 16 blocks to be registered in two phases. Phase 1, which includes the Forbes Estate house lot, was registered as a residential lot in March 2024.
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