A developer is claiming the title of “largest rental housing development in Metro Vancouver” for a project proposed for the Lougheed town centre area in Burnaby.

In all, Starlight Developments is planning its Lougheed Village development at Erickson Drive and Salish Court – near to but not part of the major City of Lougheed development at Lougheed mall. The project is set for 1,200 units between three purpose-built rental highrise towers.

According to Starlight, that makes it the largest rental development in the region, although it may not hold on to that title long if a Squamish Nation proposal for Vancouver comes to fruition. Currently, that development, called Sen̓áḵw, is intended to see 6,000 housing units built, the majority of which is expected to be rental housing.

But while the Lougheed Village project has been submitted for the city’s approvals process, Starlight officials said in an email to the NOW that it’s “unclear when that development (Sen̓áḵw) will proceed and how long it will take.”

“It may be the case that Sen̓áḵw eventually eclipses Lougheed Village in size, but it could be many years, whereas LV is proceeding immediately as soon as a building permit can be obtained,” Starlight said, adding Lougheed Village’s 1,200 units will all be developed in one parcel, whereas it’s unclear if Sen̓áḵw will be built in one go or in stages.

With 1,200 new units planned for the development, Lougheed Village is expected to house a total of 1,728 units, with the site already home to 528 rental suites in four highrise towers.

The three new towers are expected to reach 48, 39 and 36 storeys, according to Starlight, and the existing buildings have been renovated in recent years.

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