Commercial space could crop up on farm land near Castle Hayne Road in northern New Hanover County if a recent proposal comes to fruition. 

The property consists of a little over 29 acres at 312 Hermitage Road near GE's Wilmington campus. The property owner, Raleigh-based Fast Tracts Wilmington LLC, is seeking a conditional rezoning request that would allow for flex space/warehouses, offices and a nursery to be built on the land, according to a community meeting notification issued by the county Friday.

A conceptual plan for the project, called "Hermitage Road Development" on documents, shows 13 proposed buildings of 12,000 square feet each.

If granted, the owner’s request to New Hanover County changes the site’s zoning from residential (R-20) to the commercial services district (CSD) designation.

A community meeting to discuss the development plan is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 16 at the site, next to the existing driveway on the property, the notice stated. 

Although it does not specifically reference the recent county request, a website describing plans for a business park called "New Leaf Landing" at 312 Hermitage Road says, “This is an ideal location for New Hanover County’s new Commercial Services District. This new designation is intended to transition areas from the heavier Industrial business to residential by allowing a blend of light industrial/commercial, office and retail businesses.”

Efforts to reach a New Leaf Landing representative using the number advertised on the proposed park’s website were not immediately successful Friday.

But the website also explains why New Leaf Landing officials believe such a park could help meet demand.

“More and more [businesses] are moving to the area to set up satellite locations and have a difficult time finding locations available. Additionally, there is also demand from startup businesses in the area who need to start with a small location and expand as their business grows. Greater Wilmington area [is] an excellent location for a site dedicated to the needs of light industrial business with some access from the public,” according to the website. “Our intention is to build a business park on Hermitage Road to allow for flexible construction to accommodate the growing business needs of the area.”