The developer of the large housing project in Gorham, known as the Robie Street subdivision, is seeking a substantial increase in the number of housing units from those initially proposed for the 131-acre site behind Village Elementary School.

The original plan presented two years ago sought 391 units that included 96 single-family homes and 295 multifamily units. Phase 1, with 44 homes, is under construction. The developers are now proposing 101 single-family lots plus 410 multifamily units in seven buildings and 496 total overall development parking spaces.

The Planning Board will host a discussion about the proposal with KV Enterprises of Portland at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6, at the Gorham Municipal Center, 75 South St. Civil engineer Dan Riley, of Sebago Technics, will represent the developer.

“We are reviewing the application this week,” Town Planner Carol Eyerman said in an email to Westbrook-Gorham Now. “More on that soon.”

It was unknown Tuesday, Sept. 30, the reason for the proposed increase in units.

Attempts to reach Riley were unsuccessful.

The developer hopes to present preliminary site plans for remaining phases by this fall, according to a Sept. 15 letter from Riley to Director of Community Development Tom Poirier, Planning Board Chair James Hager, and Eyerman.

The project early on drew fire from neighbors, citing issues that included traffic and impact on schools, over the course of the initial approval process for Phase 1. The Town Council granted a controversial contract zone to the developer allowing a stepped-up pace for the buildout of the project in the urban residential zone.

The Town Council also granted the developer permission to extend across town-owned land a short, dead-end street, White Birch Lane, into the site from New Portland Road. The street extension runs behind an athletic field at Village Elementary School that is located off Robie Street.

White Birch Lane is expected to handle much of the heavy construction traffic. Opponents of the street extension fear non-development traffic will use White Birch Lane as a rush-hour cut through to reach South Street (Route 114), to avoid Main Street traffic congestion.

The development has major entrances and exits from Robie Street and Bramblewood Lane in addition to a one-way entrance from Ridgeway Avenue, but no exit onto Ridgeway.

The project will be served by public water and sewer. Fifty-one acres will be preserved as open space.