It’s the fastest-growing county in the state, one of the top ten fastest-growing counties in the nation, and this month it’s become clear that things will not be slowing down any time soon.
At the February 12th county Planning Board meeting, approval was given to three proposed developments:
- The Price Tract Development will bring 164 single-family homes and 22 townhouses near the state border line, just east of Carolina Shores. The community will be built by Headwaters Engineering of Cape Fear.
- A 38 single-family home neighborhood located on nearly 12 acres on Leaning Pine Road Southeast, just north of Varnamtown.
- Expansion of the proposed Cedar Crossing community. The Planning board had already given approval to build 79 single-family homes near the intersection of Cedar Grove Road and Stanley Road just outside of Supply. Now, developers have permission to add another 50 homes stretched across roughly 45 acres.
Meanwhile, another proposed development that will bring 3,000 homes to a parcel of land off Midway Road in an unincorporated portion of the county was dropped from the agenda just before the meeting. It will instead be put on next month’s agenda.
The new developments are a continuation of a story that has been playing out for much of the last decade. Each year, Brunswick County’s population has been growing by more than 5%. In 2022 alone, the population increased by 8,250.
Brunswick County Planning Director Kirstie Dixon recently told a public radio station that being between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has contributed to the fast growth.
“A lot of their growth is spilling over into Brunswick County. We are becoming a bedroom community to both Myrtle Beach and to Wilmington,” she said. “Plus, we have gorgeous beaches, lower housing prices that are attracting people from all over.”
In addition to its proximity to Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, Brunswick County has an abundant resource of land, which has created a favorable environment for developers. This abundance of available land not only facilitates residential and commercial development but also allows for the creation of new infrastructure, amenities, and recreational spaces, further enhancing the appeal of the county.