City Releases Neighbourhood Plans for Cowan Heights and University Area

The City of St. John’s has released neighbourhood plans for Cowan Heights and the University Area, setting a clear direction for how these communities will grow and change in the years ahead.

“Neighbourhood plans are strongest when they reflect the people who call these areas home,” said Councillor Maggie Burton, Planning lead. “By listening to residents, businesses, and other interested parties, we’ve created plans that capture their vision and set a clear direction for sustainable growth.”

St. John’s is divided into 29 neighbourhoods, setting out the project areas for Neighbourhood Plans. These plans take the broad goals of Envision St. John’s, the City’s Municipal Plan, and apply them at a local level.

The new plans for Cowan Heights and the University Area provide direction for land use, heritage, building types, transportation upgrades, and park improvements, while reflecting the unique character of each neighbourhood. As legally binding documents, neighbourhood plans ensure that all future development in these areas must align with their policies.

Each plan outlines strategies to accommodate growth and achieve its vision, summarized below.

Strategies from the Cowan Heights Neighbourhood Plan:

1. Transit-Oriented Redevelopment: The Village Intensification Area at Topsail Road and Columbus Drive will be the focus for future higher density mixed-use development, coordinated with improvements to the existing transit hub, and pedestrian and active transportation improvements.
2. Urban Housing Expansion: The areas along Blackmarsh Road are envisioned as future medium and high-density residential development. Growth will be coordinated with the extension of water and sewer mains and linkages to the existing trail network. On Frecker Drive, the existing neighbourhood commercial area will support residents at the north of the neighbourhood.
3. Community Park & Trail Upgrades: Kitty Gaul Park, Cowan Park, and the extensive connected trail network are Cowan Heights’ most beloved neighbourhood assets. The two parks will be improved to support changing recreation needs. Trails will be evaluated and upgraded to improve lighting, accessibility and wayfinding.
4. Increased Residential Density: Land-use changes to this area will allow a transition in residential building height and density from the high intensity Village Intensification Area to low intensity along Canada Drive. The area will support some additional medium-scale apartment buildings along with townhouses, and will allow continued commercial development along Topsail Road. Re-activation of the Parkside Community Centre and Barachois Park for community gathering and programming will support residents in the surrounding area.
5. Gentle Density Corridor: This area along Topsail Road will support a gradual transition from lower-density residential to medium density. Changes to the area will be based on market demand and may require consolidation of properties over time.
6. Neighbourhood Mixed-Use Areas: Future mixed-use areas are identified at Captain Whelan Drive, Cowan Avenue, and Burgeo Street. Over time, additional housing will be supported, built above commercial uses in a walkable environment.
7. Tot-Lot Retrofits: The many small tot lots in Cowan Heights will be updated to provide passive recreation and leisure opportunities for a broader range of ages and interests.

Strategies from the University Area Neighbourhood Plan:

1. Emerging Neighbourhood Centre: The Paton Street, Anderson Avenue, and Elizabeth Avenue intersection is the core focus area for commercial and residential growth, and a priority area for attracting additional amenities for the neighbourhood.
2. Focused Central Growth: New zoning is proposed for the Elizabeth Avenue and Newtown Road corridors to support increased densities and building heights up to four (4) storeys closest to MUN, the Neighbourhood Node, and along shared-use paths. This growth will leverage these mobility infrastructure investments while strengthening the connection to Downtown. New zoning is also proposed for properties owned by Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC). This will enable NLHC to improve their existing housing in the University Area in a manner that responds to changing demographic trends and housing demand.
3. Neighbourhood Mixed-Use Areas: Highway-oriented commercial developments along Freshwater Road are encouraged to redevelop into mixed-use centres over the long-term, providing more commercial and housing choice to the neighbourhood.
4. Reinforce Rabbittown Character: The Rabbittown community is home to the University Area’s oldest businesses, and this compact neighbourhood commercial character should be encouraged to expand while retaining its unique heritage.
5. Neighbourhood Park Improvements: Improve connections between Rabbittown and Kelly’s Brook Park, and between the wider University Area and Pippy Park, supporting ongoing investments to enhance and activate neighbourhood parks.
6. Shared-Use Paths Expansion: A series of shared-use paths will be developed in the University Area, including Newtown Road, responding to the University Area’s high number of walkers and wheelers. This will help complete a network of maintained and well-lit paths throughout the neighbourhood.

The Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans were shaped by two phases of extensive public engagement, where residents, businesses, and other interested parties shared their vision and ideas. Feedback was gathered online and in person through surveys, project pages, pop-up events, meetings, and other outreach activities.

The plans will be presented to Council during the Committee of the Whole Council meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Next steps in the neighbourhood plan process include provincial review and a Public Hearing held in 2026.

Along with four other plans currently in progress, the Cowan Heights and University Area plans are part of the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan, which supports sustainable growth and density

The City of St. John’s has a strategic direction to be a Sustainable City, planning for land use while preserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for residents. The Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans play a key role in advancing this direction.

Related Links:

• Engage St. John's Project Page - University Area
• Engage St. John's Project Page - Cowan Heights
• Envision St. John's Municipal Plan
• Neighbourhood Plans
• What We Heard (Phase 1): University Area and Cowan Heights Neighbourhood Plans
• What We Heard (Phase 2): University Area and Cowan Heights Neighbourhood Plans
• Media Release (Phase 1): City Seeking Feedback on University Area and Cowan Heights Neighbourhoods
• Media Release (Phase 2): City Seeking Feedback on University Area and Cowan Heights Neighbourhood Plan Recommendations