Next hearing date: Monday, December 14th @ 5PM at the West Brandywine Township Building (198 Lafayette Road). Be sure to attend! This is the first hearing where we get to testify and present our evidence!!
Consider donating here. Funds donated go to paying for our attorney and expert witnesses.
Check out our article in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.
Ask about a yard sign here.
Download a printable flier to give to neighbors, put up on bulletin boards, and hand out at events here.
Welcome to Our Official Website! We formed Friends of Brandywine Farms to protect farm land, open spaces, and natural lands & resources in West Brandywine Township and the surrounding area from high density residential and commercial development.
Our current focus is on stopping the proposed 237 unit 55+ age restricted development on 119 acres of historic farmland and wetlands at 500 Hibernia Road.
Join us in the fight to protect this land and consider donating! Our organization is 100% composed of and funded by concerned neighbors and citizens like you!
According to our research, the 119 acres at 500 Hibernia Road was part of an 1820 acre land grant from William Penn to George Claypoole in 1714. Old maps mark it at the center of an Indian / Native American Settlement, almost certainly the Lenni Lenape, as they retained one mile east and west along the West Brandywine Creek in a 1706 agreement with Penn, though the agreement was not honored by Penn's heirs. In 1793, it was acquired by Samuel Downing, for whom Downingtown is named, and later, Charles Brooke. The Hibernia Estate at Hibernia Park, including the iron forge, and the former property of George Harrison, a colonial weaver, were all part of Downing's estate. Much of the land has been protected, but this plot was purchased at auction in 2008 by an LLC. Now, in 2026, the owner reached an agreement with Toll Brothers to sell the property for development. Toll Brothers application has packed 237 age-restricted homes onto 119 acres of farmland, wetlands, and two streams that merge to feed into the Brandywine River water supply.
This piece of farmland sits in a rural area between two rural roads. Adding 237 homes to this tract of land will strain the local infrastructure and change the accustomed way of life for this rural community while removing a part of our heritage, forever.
2 streams that flow into the upper west branch of the Brandywine Creek run through the property. The Brandywine River system is a critical water supply from Chester County to as far south as Wilmington, Delaware. There are also wetlands on the property that are a natural habitat of the bog turtle, an endangered species.
After the closing of the Brandywine Hospital, this location sits in the middle of a documented "Healthcare Desert". There are already 9 major senior living communities within a 5 mile radius, containing over 2500 homes and living units. Placing 238 additional homes in a corner between two rural roads will push an already strained emergency response system too far. This development represents a major Public Health and Safety Concern for everyone in the area.
There are no local fire hidrants on Manor and Hibernia Roads, nor is there a local water source besides the same water supply, the Brandywine River. During the 4 alarm fire at 400 HIbernia Road, fire trucks from across Chester, Lancaster, and Berks County had to transport 18 water tankers and 60,000 gallons of water to the scene. Much of this water was pumped from local pools and streams. Adding 238 homes at this location between Hibernia and Manor roads will place additional strain on fire departments in East Brandywine and Wagontown, another Public Health and Safety Concern.
This project is a poor investment for West Brandywine Township and its residents. According to the 2019 Chester County Return on Environment Study and Report supported by 16 participating organizations including the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Chester County Planning Commission, for every $1 raised in taxes from a residence, a Chester County township spends $1.11 on services. For every $1 raised from a farm or open space, the township spends 7 cents on services. 55+ residences place a greater demand on ALS and EMS services than non-age restricted residences. Furthermore, most residents in 55+ communities are retired, which means they pay ZERO local earned income tax.
Why do developers keep proposing 55+ communities? It's not because it's needed or because it benefits the existing residents. It's because of a loophole in our local ordinance that must be closed.
Join our membership: Sign Up Here
Spread the word. In person (download flier here) and on social media (anyone on Facebook can refer to our Facebook Page). We need everbody in West Brandywine and beyond to get behind this effort to save this farmland. We need everyone to attend these hearings and consider donating (donate to our GoFundMe).
Attend the Hearings (see above for next hearing date and time)
Write the township, write your local and state reps, get involved and volunteer. Ask us how at the email address below.
Friends of Brandywine Farms
Email: [ asm154@gmail.com]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brandywinefarmsfriends
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/preserve-brandywine-farmlands-for-future-generations
