Leduc County eyes major development plan west of airport

LEDUC COUNTY -- Leduc County is developing a new area structure plan for the lands west of the Edmonton International Airport.

This land, dubbed Whitemud Landing, is located north of Highway 39 and south of Highway 19. It encompasses sixty parcels totaling roughly 4,600 acres and has been dubbed in a report as "Nisku 2.0". According to the County, this long-term plan will focus on future land supply needs to support non-residential development and future employment to promote a diverse and stable economy. 

Leduc County Mayor Tanni Doblanko says that discussions relating to Whitemud Landing have been ongoing for the better part of a decade, and that their major area structure plan is still in the very early stages of development. 

"We're currently starting to have conversations with our residents that are out there and other key stakeholders," said Doblanko. "That area was identified as a major employment area, so the notion was always that it would be developed into something non-residential."

It's noted that agricultural use will be maintained in the area until development occurs. Once completed, the new Whitemud Landing ASP will define infrastructure capacities, required upgrades, and optimal servicing approaches, transportation system assessments, and establish a high-level land use concept to allow for light industrial development. 

"We know that the Edmonton International Airport just announced the development of their international cargo hub, which we believe will be a benefit to the County -- and that area would allow us to match the development of the airport with cargo logistics warehousing, and things like that," said Mayor Doblanko.

Doblanko reiterates that any development of the subject area will be undertaken in a phased approach and could take many years to fully come to fruition. She adds that to this point, there have been no considerations of AI data centres in this particular area. 

Phase one of public engagement for the proposed Whitemud Landing ASP will be ongoing until September.