A developer has been given a three-year extension for a High River sub-division.

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says administration had suggested only a one-year delay.

"Highwood Ranch, that development, that Spitzee Crossing development has not even started yet so it's not like we have a half-built development that we're trying to finish off, this thing hasn't even started yet."

Snodgrass says the developer has run into issues that are beyond his control.

"The developer, Scott Allen, he's looking at a number of things before he begins that development, and the marketplace is one of them, we've still got the Hamptons, Red Tail, and Montrose that have got a lot of inventory left and so he's got to be looking at that, he's got to be looking at the cost of development right now which is extremely high at any point in time but it's still the supply chain that has issues so costs are still up."

Snodgrass says councillors felt they knew the reasons for the delay and rather than make Allen come back every year with the same request they'd go ahead with the three-year extension.

He says if conditions improve work could still get underway sooner.