Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan Update

The neighbourhood plan update will reflect the vision, principles, big ideas and strategies, and design intentions developed through Campus Vision 2050, and will be consistent with specific policies set out in the Land Use Plan. Learn more through the links below.

• Campus Vision 2050 Big Ideas
• Campus Vision 2050 Guiding Principles
• Campus Vision 2050 Design and Character Intentions
• UBC Land Use Plan

The need for more UBC housing, amenities and services, green and open space and childcare emerged as prominent themes throughout Campus Vision 2050. To help address these needs and university priorities, the Land Use Plan and final vision for the campus established that Wesbrook Place South will include:: 

• homes for approximately 4,600 people, increasing the population of Wesbrook Place, when fully built out, from 12,500 in the existing neighbourhood plan to around 16,200  
• about 2.1 million sq. ft. of new housing (calculated as Gross Buildable Area), delivered across a mixture of towers (up to 39 storeys) and midrise buildings (up to six storeys)  
• about 30,000 sq. ft. of new ground-floor commercial and amenity space, building upon the 131,000 sq. ft. already present in Wesbrook Village
• one new child care facility, in addition to one already present in the neighbourhood and a second that is under construction  

The growing number of people who live, work and study on campus means more demand and support for services and amenities. As the campus grows, UBC amenities and services, including child care, recreation and retail, will keep pace with demand. Planning and advocacy will also continue alongside campus growth for services delivered by other agencies, including schools, healthcare and hospitals, and emergency services.

The update process will determine how 2.1 million sq. ft. of new housing will be achieved in Wesbrook Place South, along with new commercial and community space. This includes determining on each site: 

• what the land will be used for (e.g., residential, commercial, child care, mixed-use, etc.)
• size of the buildings on each site, including maximum density and height, within the Land Use Plan’s 39-storey maximum  
• approximate number of units  

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Wesbrook Place already features numerous community parks and green spaces with a mix of formal and informal spaces for recreation, gathering, learning and teaching.  

Campus Vision 2050 describes a large new open space in Wesbrook Place South, the recently completed Research Park, that will support a range of activities, including informal recreation, a playground, community gardens and community programming. While a portion of the park recently opened to the public, there are opportunities for adjustments as the neighbourhood area around it is being defined through this process. 

Wesbrook Place South also offers a unique opportunity to establish a new ecological park at the south edge of the neighbourhood, which will be designed to protect and enhance local ecosystems, while offering recreational and educational opportunities for visitors. This includes retaining and protecting high-value trees, found primarily in the western portion of the new park area, which have been identified through an ecological assessment in early 2024.

Building upon what was heard through Campus Vision 2050 engagement, the new parks respond to strong community interest in protection and enhancement of campus ecology and biodiversity as well as outdoor spaces for learning, teaching, gathering and recreation. Park and open space implementation will be guided by UBC’s biodiversity and rainwater management strategies and contribute to the overall Usable Neighbourhood Open Space for Wesbrook Place, as defined by the Land Use Plan.

The Wesbrook Place transportation network includes:

• a network of local, shared streets that connect the neighbourhood with the rest of the UBC Vancouver campus and the wider region 
• a system of connected pathways that enable pedestrian and non-motorized movement throughout the neighbourhood
• a recreational trail system that surrounds the neighbourhood and provides access to Pacific Spirit Regional Park
• local and regional bus routes 

The updated neighbourhood plan will better prioritize walking, rolling, cycling and transit across Wesbrook Place through improvements to streets and intersections. These improvements will help address concerns about traffic, congestion, and pedestrian and cyclist safety as the population grows.

The Land Use Plan establishes commitments to support biodiversity and ecology as the campus grows. For Wesbook Place South, the process will explore: 

• Maintaining or enhancing tree canopy to contribute to a campus-wide target of at least 36 per cent by 2050
• Extending the surrounding forests into the campus to support species movement and habitat and increase biodiversity
• Linking green spaces throughout the neighbourhood to enhance ecological connectivity and encourage use of active and sustainable modes of transportation
• Encouraging public access to neighbourhood open spaces to minimize impact on Pacific Spirit Regional Park
• Providing opportunities for applied biodiversity and ecology research
• Promoting community initiatives aimed at building environmental awareness, education and stewardship

Neighbourhood Climate Action

The recently completed Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan (NCAP) sets a pathway to net-zero emissions and a climate resilient community for the residential neighbourhoods. NCAP defines rapid and ambitious regulations to support its goals, such as a 40 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in new buildings by 2030 and net zero operational emissions in all neighbourhood buildings by 2050. Furthermore, all new residential buildings at UBC must adhere to the university’s Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP), a comprehensive, UBC-specific green building rating system. REAP is being updated to reflect NCAP, and the community will have an opportunity to engage in this update in 2025.

Additionally, an updated Rainwater Management Plan will model and identify strategies for future development to support the natural hydrological cycle, support climate resilience, slow cliff erosion, and identify opportunities to achieve multi-benefit amenities for the campus community.  

Envisioned as an urban village in the woods, Wesbrook Place is UBC’s largest neighbourhood—a complete community that offers a wide range of amenities and services. From a community centre and school to restaurants and shops, daily needs can easily be met on foot. Campus Vision 2050 reinforces Wesbrook Village's role as the heart of the neighbourhood, and introduces Wesbrook Place South as a new area for community activity. The process will explore how to:

• create active, vibrant, sociable buildings and public realm, that reinforce the human scale and provide flexibility for different needs, including types and configurations of buildings  
• create a local hub of community activity, including types and locations of retail and child care
• create more naturalized open spaces that address community needs, including the design and planning of public open spaces 

The process will update the neighbourhood plan to align with Campus Vision 2050, the Land Use Plan, and other recently updated policies. 

Relevant plans and policies include:

There is also parallel, technical work currently underway that will shape the neighbourhood plan update:

• Updated Integrated Rainwater Management Plan (IRMP), to identify strategies for future development to support the natural hydrological cycle, support climate resilience, prevent cliff erosion, and identify opportunities for potential additional amenities for the campus community 
• Building on Campus Vision 2050’s Restorative and Resilient Landscapes Big Idea, a Biodiversity Strategy is under development for the academic campus and neighbourhoods that will outline biodiversity goals, objectives, targets, implementation actions, and more
• Updated Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP), to continue to ensure high performance buildings in UBC neighbourhoods through a comprehensive, UBC-specific green building rating system for mandatory application to all multi-unit residential construction in the neighbourhoods—REAP is being updated to reflect NCAP, and the community will have an opportunity to engage in this update in 2025  
• An updated Transportation Plan, to guide how UBC will enable sustainable, healthy and affordable travel choices in support of Campus Vision 2050 and Climate Action Plan 2030 commitments to a 45-per cent reduction in extended impact GHG emissions, including trips to and from the campus, compared to 2010 levels 
• An update to the Child Care Expansion Plan, to identify opportunities for the delivery of child care spaces in the academic and neighbourhood lands to keep pace with a growing community
• Planning for community amenities and services, to identify priorities and opportunities for delivery of community and recreation facilities and services on academic and neighbourhood lands, including coordinating with partner agencies to deliver services to keep pace with growth, such as schools and emergency services