Residents applaud revocation of permit to build condos near Hudson's Sandy Beach

Residents who have long fought against a proposed condo development in Hudson are celebrating a win after the project's permit was revoked.

However, the developer can fight the decision.

Even on a rainy day, the boardwalk near Sandy Beach is still popular with the people of Hudson. For Rob Horwood, going there now makes him even happier.

"I was delighted, I was thrilled. This is a game changer," said Horwood of Nature Hudson, a non-profit community organization dedicated to protecting the land, water, and wildlife of Hudson.

The area was slated to be turned into condos by developer Nicanco Holdings Inc. But after a long back-and-forth with Quebec, the environment minister cancelled its permit to build, saying the project was taking too long.

Due to changes to environmental law, if the developer wants to go forward, it will have to reapply for permits under new, stronger legislation.

"If they want to proceed with a project now, they’ll have to start from the beginning," Horwood said.

Many residents opposed the project for years, arguing the marshland mitigates flooding from the Ottawa River and is home to diverse wildlife.

"They’ve identified 29 species, which are under protections under federal or provincial legislation," Horwood said.

But others have told CTV News that Hudson needs to meet a growing demand for housing.

In a statement, Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison described the move as "brave and conclusive" and added, "Any potential development in this area will have to meet current laws and regulations that were updated and reinforced since the 2017 and 2019 spring floods."

CTV News reached out to Nicanco Holdings but did not receive a response.

The environment minister’s letter does give the developer 30 days to contest the cancellation, but Nature Hudson hopes this area could be acquired by the town or province.

"It’s a big feature for the people of Hudson, and it would be a shame if it were diluted," Horwood said.

He knows Nicanco still owns this land but says he’s relieved that, for now, this wetland will stay wild.