Judging by the number of responses to the proposed building plans for the land above our valley, we know people care deeply about this project. They will be interested therefore to hear what the latest version of the building project has in store for us: larger section sizes!

The new proposal goes before our community board, and from there to the council for adoption, with a chance for public submissions after that.

Residents will recall that we recently rejected a high density project that featured small section sizes. As a result of our submissions, the new proposal is to make the minimum section size 750 m2 between the road frontage and a line based around the 20 metre contour and a proposed waterway corridor.

Overall, the new proposal gives around 85 new sections, which is a welcome reduction on the previous figure of a possible 125. This will help moderate any potential effects on our primary school as well as reducing traffic movements on the surrounding road network. The larger sections will provide more room for planting, thereby allowing some softening.

What will valley people make of it all? It will be interesting to see what this hillside looks like, 10 years on...