Fencing around an empty lot that formerly housed Hamilton Police Station has been given approval by the Development Applications Board.

Planning documents said that the Department of Public Lands and Buildings sought retroactive planning permission for a chain-link fence put up around a site at the junction of Parliament Street and Reid Street.

The proposal was recommended for refusal because of conflicts with the City of Hamilton Plan 2025, which requires that development proposals must, where applicable, deliver “meaningful community benefits”.

However, last week, the DAB voted to approve the proposal, subject to the approval being granted for a two-year period.

According to minutes of the DAB meeting, a technical officer confirmed to the board that the plan could be appealed to the minister if refused.

The DAB also discussed whether the fencing was fit for the purpose of securing the site for safety and liability reasons until the site is redeveloped and questioned what barriers would be approved under the City of Hamilton Plan.

Its minutes said: “Another technical officer stated that this lot is in a heavily trafficked tourist area, across from the senate building and the legislature, and that once the fence was erected along the boundary, it took away options, such as setting the fence back and providing screen planting and benches or creating a parkette until such time as the lot is redeveloped.

“The technical officer also raised the question of when redevelopment will take place, with the chain-link fence potentially in place for the next five to ten years.

“A board member stated that the provision of seating areas can lead to other issues.”

A vote was taken, with one member voting for the plan to be refused, and the standard process followed, but five members voted to recommend the plans be approved subject to approval being granted for a two-year period.

The DAB refused another planning application which included establishing a chain-link fence on Reid Street.

That proposal, for the former location of the Canadian Hotel, also involved the creation of nine parking spaces and landscaping with palm trees.

The minutes of the DAB meeting said: “One board member noted that this application was different from the prior application since it also included parking.”

A technical officer also noted that a special development order was approved for the site more than 15 years ago, but the property remained undeveloped.

The DAB resolved to refuse the application because the fencing was not compatible with the character of the area and the proposed parking spaces went against the City of Hamilton Plan.