Ramat Hasharon Municipality Withdraws Appeal, Clearing Way for Israel-Canada’s Elco Complex Plan

The Ramat Hasharon municipality has officially withdrawn its long-standing legal appeal against the "Elco Complex" development plan, effectively ending years of opposition to the project. The municipality stated that after thorough consideration and following a recommendation from the court, it decided to respect the court's position, save judicial time, and accept the recommendation to drop the appeal. Despite maintaining that its objections had legal and substantive merit aimed at protecting public interest, the municipality chose to end the dispute.

The Elco Complex plan covers 57 dunams in Ramat Hasharon's old industrial area, bordered by HaNaviim Street, HaHaroshet Street, Highway 4, and Highway 5 near the Morasha interchange. The site, formerly home to the Elco factory, is slated for 600 new housing units, including 20% small apartments, alongside 150,000 square meters of commercial and office space. Residential buildings will be up to nine stories, with four towers of up to 20 stories for commercial use. The plan also includes public buildings, open spaces, community institutions, and a 7.5-dunam transportation terminal.

Originally, Israel-Canada sought to build 2,000 housing units, later reduced to 1,100, both requests rejected. The current 600-unit plan was approved in August 2025 despite municipal opposition citing concerns over noisy and disruptive uses. The municipality appealed to the National Planning and Building Council, which rejected the appeal, and then filed a lawsuit at the Tel Aviv District Court. The court's recommendation by Judge Limor Bibi led to the municipality's withdrawal.

Israel-Canada acquired the land in 2016 and has since marketed rights to 584 future housing units for approximately 316 million shekels. While the legal hurdles have been cleared, local authorities still hold significant power over building permits, so the pace of construction remains uncertain. Israel-Canada expects construction to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

Barak Rozen, CEO and owner of Israel-Canada, expressed satisfaction with the legal resolution and readiness to proceed with permits and construction. He described the Elco Complex as a unique, comprehensive urban project that serves the public interest and will significantly contribute to Ramat Hasharon’s development.