Nova ScotiaJim Lorraine, president of Five Corners Properties, says the company will soon request a development agreement with the Municipality of Colchester. First phase of construction could start as soon as 2026, says Five Corners PropertiesLuke Ettinger · CBC News · Posted: Oct 29, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesResidents partake in an open house hosted by Five Corners Properties in Bible Hill, N.S., on Oct 27, 2025. (Luke Ettinger/CBC)A Colchester County development company that hopes to see thousands of housing units built on undeveloped land in Bible Hill, N.S., is readying to present its plans to the municipality for approval. Jim Lorraine, president of Five Corners Properties, said the company will soon request a development agreement with the Municipality of Colchester. At an open house on Monday, he anticipated the project could come before council in the coming months and the first phase of construction could start next year. The multiphase plan occupies just over 63 hectares and could see 2,300 to 2,500 units built over 20 years, according to Lorraine. He said previous discussions of up to 3,000 units were scaled back to allow for more parkland space. “It’s not going to happen all at once. It just can’t. So Phase 1 is up to 225 units, and there’s going to be a mix of single residential and duplexes and things like that,” he said.There are also plans for multiple apartment buildings with up to six storeys. Phase 2 will include the addition of a road at the intersection of Vimy and Farnham roads. In Phase 3, the new avenue will connect to Pictou Road, with current plans for four hectares of commercial space along the thoroughfare. The development, currently slated for 63 hectares, is an approximately 20-year project that includes single family homes, duplexes, apartment buildings and commercial space. (Luke Ettinger/CBC)“Naturally you’re going to have your restaurants and cafés and stuff along the main artery through the centre of the project,” said Lorraine. Lorraine said there is space allotted for a recreation centre and sports field as well as a new parking lot for the Farnham Brook Trail.Water system upgrades proposedThe project would be serviced through the Truro Water Utility. “There are upgrades to the water distribution system proposed by the development; however, there are further discussions that are required between the applicant, Town of Truro, and the Village of Bible Hill. Those have yet to take place,” said Alison Grant, a spokesperson for Truro, in a statement Tuesday. Five Corners Properties does not intend to build the thousands of units it is planning for; instead, the lots will be sold. Lorraine said builders will be encouraged to work with the government to provide affordable units.“Whether they move into a brand new, shiny apartment building in our development — which frees up space in another area — that, too, contributes to affordability,” he said.”When you have an undersupply of any product, which is what we currently have in terms of housing, you’re going to have high prices on rent.” MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORLuke Ettinger is a reporter with CBC Nova Scotia based in Truro. Reach him at luke.ettinger@cbc.ca.
Bible Hill developer readies plan that could see thousands of new units built
