Lexington County home development doubles pitch. Hundreds of units added
A Lexington-based development company wants to nearly double the size of a planned housing subdivision, bringing 600 homes to more than 200 acres of rural land between South Congaree and White Knoll.
The initial plan, approved by Lexington County in June of last year, called for 316 single-family homes on 181 acres where Edmund Highway and Bluff Ridge Road intersect in an unincorporated area of Lexington County southwest of South Congaree.
Now, the development company, Wilkie Development, plans to add an additional 108 single family homes and 200 duplex units, bringing the total number of units to 624 and expanding the project to 221 acres.
The shift comes after the development group acquired additional land, according to county documents. The company paid more than $1.6 million for the more than 200 acres of land, property records show.
Changes to the project were set go before the county’s planning commission Thursday following a review of the development by various county agencies impacted by growth like police, EMS and the Lexington 2 school district.
That process, known as concurrency review, was enacted by the county council in June in an attempt to control the area’s rapid growth. Lexington is projected to increase its population by more than 33,000 people by the year 2040. Concurrency gives county officials the opportunity to consult with public entities and approve or deny requests based on the input.
The project could bring more than 500 students, ranging from elementary to high school, to the school district, which serves around 8,500 students. District officials did not anticipate needing to construct an additional school to serve the influx of students, but estimated that it would need to add 13 new staff members at a price tag of around $1.1 million.
“If this area continues to grow and develop, more capacity will eventually be necessary in this area. However, it would be very challenging to quantify the cost impact of one development for a school district,” the school district wrote in its paperwork submitted to the county. A spokesperson for the school district did not provide additional information or comment.
The 600 homes would add to the growing list of upcoming housing developments set for the long-rural part of the county that connects municipalities like South Congaree and Pine Ridge to Red Bank and White Knoll. Earlier this year, the planning commission approved a nearly 200-home development right next door.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
