Heather Wright/The Independent

It will be 2027 before the Ontario Land Tribunal will hear the Wanstead truck washing station case.

And that’s frustrating the neighbours who have been fighting to stop a developer who has already built part of the project which will bring livestock trailers to the village to be washed, including those involved in Avian Flu decontamination projects.

Cornerstone Developments has been working with the town since 2022 on the Leyton Street properties.

At first, the company received a building permit for a strawberry operation. Today, a 7,900 square-foot building with transport-truck sized doors is there.

Two properties on either side of Leyton Street are slated to hold a washing station and a drying facility for trailers which haul animals.

The site also includes a closed-loop wash water treatment system which received approval through the Environmental Compliance Approvals branch of the Ministry of the Environment in Sept. 2021.

It’s also received a federal grant to be involved in Avian Flu decontamination.

The properties are in the middle of small cluster of homes and neighbours, who learned of the project in 2023, have been fighting to stop it.

They worry the company, which received funding from the federal government to help with bio security issues in the region, will use the truck washing facility when combating problems such as Avian Flu. And they’re concerned water wells will be affected.

Another public meeting set for in September was postponed when the town requested more studies. The town planned another meeting after the reports were received and reviewed.

In October, Cornerstone had appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a “Non-Decision” by council.

There have been two appearances at the tribunal since the appeal was filed. At the first, neighbour Jessica Jessome was granted standing at the hearing to raise neighbourhood concerns.

Last week, the OLT held another conference and set aside three weeks for the hearing in April 2027.

“We are literally left in limbo,” says Jessome.

“I’m frustrated beyond belief and disappointed that the system takes so long.

“We’re taxpayers, we’re property owners, and he’s just doing whatever he wants,” Jessome added.

Neighbours contend the developer is using the massive four-bay shed for business. Lambton County bylaw officials have laid two charges of using land in contravention to its permitted uses. They are still before the courts.

Jessome says the neighbours have waited years and spent nearly $30,000 of their own money fighting to stop the development. She expects the three-week-long hearing will cost them thousands of dollars more.

Even after that’s done, there will be more waiting, Jessome says; “God knows how long it may take for a decision.”