Ritchot council has approved seniors housing for the community of Grande Pointe.

Mayor Chris Ewen says the municipality held a public hearing Wednesday evening to give second and third reading for the Grande Pointe secondary plan zone change. He explains essentially it will see the addition of 102 units targeted towards the 55-plus lifestyle.

"So there will be condo units or smaller units for the senior generation of our municipality and people wanting to move out to our municipality," says Ewen.

North Grassie Properties will be developing the site within Grande Pointe Meadows, located just west of Highway 59.

According to Ewen, the concept has generated concern among some residents. He says it's not only this multi-family housing, but also the single-family dwellings within this development that have locals concerned that Grande Pointe is losing its country feel.

"That was the biggest concern, and a little bit of the tidiness hasn't been up to par," says Ewen. "But we spoke with the developers on that issue and the tidiness and the garbage is being cleaned up a lot more thoroughly now."

He notes there were three formal objections at the public hearing, which is not enough to trigger the matter being sent to the Municipal Board.

Ewen says this area of Grande Pointe is the most desirable place to move to right now in the municipality, because of its close proximity to Winnipeg. He expects Grande Pointe Meadows could fill within two to four years.

Though Ewen says a timeline for this project has not been announced, he anticipates work could begin in spring. He says this is definitely needed in the municipality because there are many older people that want to say in touch with the community they grew up in. Ewen says this is geared more towards 55 to 70 year-olds, as opposed to those between the ages of 70 and 90.