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A Nepean community’s hope to transform a historic estate into a neighbourhood park is fading with a developer’s new plan to build 13 new homes on the lush property.

Theberge Homes has filed a development application for 21 Withrow Ave., which is about a block west of Merivale Road in the City View community.

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Company president Joey Theberge said the new stone-exterior homes would “play off the heritage look” of the existing house on the two-acre property. The house dates back about 175 years and the city recently put heritage protection on the exterior of the building.

Theberge said the tree-removal plan, which identifies several trees to be chopped down, reflects an extreme scenario. The developer wants to keep as many as possible to retain the canopy surrounding the property.

“We’re hoping we can have as many perimeter trees as we can,” Theberge said.

Nearby residents are well aware of the property’s charm. It’s why many prefer that the city preserve the site as parkland rather than allow a major infill.