FORGET the big banana, Orange could soon have the dubious honour of owning the "biggest eyesore in NSW".
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That will be the case if something's not done to clean up the Orange Base Hospital precinct, according to Orange councillor Glenn Taylor.
Cr Taylor said the site, including the old nurses' quarters on the corner of Dalton and Sale Streets, has continued to fall into disrepair and security lapses, including holes in fences and unlocked gates, were an on ongoing problem.
"It looks like someone has deliberately cut a man-sized hole in one of fences and it's been like that for a month," Cr Taylor said.
Cr Taylor said he was concerned the hole had gone un-repaired for so long.
"I thought NSW Health would be doing regular security checks," he said.
Cr Taylor said he'd heard rumours homeless people were using parts of the complex as a temporary shelter.
"When it's Winter it will be a very inviting place, but what if they light a fire to keep warm. Who knows what could happen," he said.
"It's a major concern and NSW Health need to check the security there, it's a major facility and it poses a real risk.
"Someone's going to get in there and get seriously hurt."
Cr Taylor said NSW Health should consider knocking the buildings down.
"It could become a park and if it did, that's when council could become involved," he said.
"It's already been vacant for three years and that's a long time.
"We could end up having the largest eyesore in NSW that's slap bang in the middle of a beautiful residential area."