Population Spike Drives Orange Subdivision Plans

A growing regional NSW centre’s housing undersupply has prompted a proposal for a 46-lot housing estate.

The development is planned for a 4.32ha site near Orange, about four hours west of Sydney.

The site at 274 Leeds Parade is 3.5km northeast of the city centre and within the Leeds Parade/Narrambla urban release area.

Orange is known for its agriculture, wine industry and growing population—its local government area had a population of 43,906 residents in June of 2023, a significant increase from 41,468 in 2017 and 39,000 in 2013.

Affordable housing, employment opportunities and a desirable lifestyle have made it a popular choice for those relocating from metropolitan areas.

Under the plans now before the Orange City Council, Miers Developments wants to create 46 lots of 557 to 1575sq m to “accommodate a variety of housing needs”.

The development would have a focus on sustainable urban design with solar-oriented lot layouts, water-sensitive urban design measures and a 15m landscaped buffer along Leeds Parade for privacy and visual enhancement, according to the application.

The site was sold for $340,000 in 2002, and then in 2021 for $2.2 million, according to Allhomes.

It is near the Northern Distributor Road as well as the Charles Sturt University campus.

The development also aligns with Orange’s Local Housing Strategy, which encourages residential growth in areas with strong infrastructure links.

▲ The proposed 46-lot development at 274 Leeds Parade in Orange.

Walkways and cyclist-friendly roads would promote active transport and create a community-focused environment, according to the submission, which was managed by Saunders Property.

The design complied with R1 General Residential zoning under the Orange Local Environmental Plan and met the standards of the city’s development control plans, the application said, and would “be positive for the local building and development sector and will consolidate the economic needs of the city overall”.