Sudbury developer cuts deal with lake advocates

A fight over a controversial development in the south end of Sudbury has been resolved.

Property developer Dalron and community action group Friends of Bennett Lake have reached an agreement over the 15 houses planned for the area.

Philippa Spoel from the Bennett Lake group said Dalron has agreed to keep storm water out of the small lake near Laurentian University.

The developer will also transfer a small, two-acre piece of land to the city, maintaining the trail around Bennett Lake.

Spoel said she and her neighbours are celebrating.

"[It] feels really great to know we've maintained this absolutely small, but beautiful, unique, natural, escape area in the heart of Sudbury," she said.

Dalron owns more property in the area that it intends to develop, but Spoel said she hopes this agreement sets the tone for how other projects are planned out.

The agreement means Dalron and the Bennett Lake group won't have to face off in front of the Ontario Municipal Board to settle their differences.

Spoel said the agreement proves that this is not just a case of Not-In-My-Back-Yard.

"We haven't said no to development, there's going to be development, there's going to be development in our backyard and our neighbour's backyard," she said.

"We're not particularly happy about that, but that's how these things go. We think we did all we could."