Upper Providence Township residents are not happy with a development proposal by Royersford Holdings that would result in over 1,200 housing units being constructed on a 176-acre Parkhouse property, writes Kenny Cooper for the WHYY.

The site is one of Montgomery County’s largest remaining tracts of open space.

“The vision of having sustainability as part of Pennsylvania’s growth to me is just so important because we can’t get this land back,” said Susan Denby, an organizer with Save Parkhouse Farm.

A conditional hearing on the project is scheduled for March 12.

The property is situated between the Schuylkill River, a residential neighborhood, and the U.S. Route 422. It was previously home to a county-owned and operated geriatric complex.

The developer wants to construct 1,203 units of housing for seniors at the site, including apartments, assisted living units, townhomes, and single-family houses.

Royersford Holdings activated its conditional use hearing application at the end of January, after months of unsuccessful negotiations with officials to reduce the number of planned units.

Another local organization, Parkhouse Friends, believes such a large project will tarnish the area’s rural character, as will threaten the environment, and exacerbate an already growing stormwater issue.

Read more about the proposal by Royersford Holdings and residents’ concerns at WHYY.

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