LEWISTON — The Planning Board approved a 48-unit apartment complex this week as the city adds to a growing list of housing developments in the pipeline.

The project, Heritage Hillside Apartments by Buckfield-based developers, will place six, eight-unit buildings off outer Main Street close to the intersection with Merrill Road.

Michael Barnes, a consultant on the project with Main-Land Development, said developers are hoping to get under construction on the market-rate project by fall, with the first two buildings potentially ready late this year or early 2026.

City officials say the development is another sign of momentum in efforts to attract new housing to Lewiston, which now has hundreds of units either under construction or approved to be built within the next several years.

“We’re thrilled to see momentum building in Lewiston’s housing market,” Nate Libby, director of economic and community development, said Wednesday.

Libby said the additional housing will “help bring relief to an extremely tight housing market” and that another market rate development adds to the variety of new housing being built in the city.

According to Libby, Lewiston is expecting 50 housing units to come online in the next year, not including the Heritage Hillside development. Another 400 are in the pipeline and planned to be complete over the next two to three years, he said.

“The upcoming developments meet a variety of needs, from market rate and affordably priced homes, to one- and two-bedrooms for workforce housing, to senior housing, affordably priced condos, and single-family subdivisions,” he said. “It’s the right mix to meet our short and medium-term needs and represents renewed interest by developers and investors in Lewiston, which is very welcome.”

In the downtown Tree Streets neighborhood, the two Choice Neighborhoods developments are adding a total of 186 new apartments at a mix of income levels, some of which are already occupied. But there are also other large developments in the works, including the redevelopment of the Continental Mill — slated to produce 377 market rate apartments; two housing developments on Lowell and Middle streets; a 208-unit development off Farwell Street, and more.

When asked about the recent projects and what he’s hearing from developers, Libby said the Greater Portland area is expensive, could be reaching a saturation point, and can be “challenging from a local regulatory perspective.”

“Lewiston has plenty of demand for housing, lots of real estate potential, and an easier to navigate regulatory system compared with our neighbors in southern Maine,” he said.

Mayor Carl Sheline said Wednesday that he’s been impressed by the scope of different housing types taking shape in Lewiston.

“From workforce apartments tied to median area income to luxury homes, we need housing for every income level in Lewiston and I welcome this market rate development,” he said.

The Heritage Hillside development, located off 1542 Main St., was approved unanimously by the Planning Board on Monday.

The 7.5-acre parcel lies between two properties owned by Central Maine Power, and abuts three private residences. The other side of Main Street is where the converter station is under construction for the NECEC hydropower transmission line.

Planning staff said a traffic movement permit from the Maine Department of Transportation is not required due to not meeting the 100 peak-hour trips threshold.

No one from the public spoke on the proposal during public comment.

Prior to approval, board member Lucy Bisson said she likes the aggressive timeline for getting the units built.

“We need the housing,” she said.

Barnes said the developers’ “intention is to start and finish as soon as possible.”