A seven-year dispute over a townhouse development on Clarence Street in Brampton that area residents thought was resolved has been re-ignited after the previous owner sold the property to a new developer that wants to triple the size of the project.

According to council documents, the dispute dates back to 2012 when development firm Yorkshire Holdings Brampton Inc. purchased three neighbouring properties on the street and was approved to build 14 townhouses in 2013.

In 2014, that same developer purchased four more adjacent properties and re-applied to expand the project to 36 townhouses where seven detached homes once stood.

Residents already unhappy with the originally approved 14 townhouses replacing three detached homes objected to the developer now wanting to change the scope and more than double the number of units they were anticipating.

The dispute went all the way to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and was settled in 2016 after an agreement was reached between the city, developer and residents to limit the project to 33 units not exceeding a certain height.

The deal also guaranteed a protection zone to save some of the trees bordering neighbouring properties. However, Chetal Vichare — who many of the trees saved belongs to — said 74 unprotected mature trees were eventually removed.

Shortly after the 2016 OMB ruling, the development was sold to the Biglieri Group Limited-Landmark-Clarence Inc., which in July of this year scrapped the agreed-upon, OMB-approved plan and submitted another application — this time looking to re-zone the site as high-density to allow for a 96-unit stacked condo development.

“The new (developer) came in and originally was looking at the same plan because it had already been submitted, but then he came back and said he wants to put in triple the amount,” said wards 3 and 4 Coun. Jeff Bowman, who was active in mediating the dispute with the previous developer.

Dozens of area residents concerned and displeased with the new proposal after believing the situation was resolved attended a planning and development committee meeting on Oct. 7, with several delegating to voice their concerns.

“Everybody here appreciates the fact that you're saving the tree line,” longtime resident Joyce Creswick told committee. “You’ve got … 96 (units), two adults we’ll say, maybe three, so now you have two cars. You don’t have space to put a family in there if each family has two cars.”