CURRENT landowners in the new Shiralee subdivision will not be forced to develop, but one of Orange’s councillors believe they might still pay a price.
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During discussions on Tuesday night, councillor Russell Turner questioned what steps the council could put in place to keep rates affordable for landowners who chose not to develop.
“The value of land is going to increase,” he said.
“The valuer-general does the land values every second year. My concern is the valuer-general will increase land values just because of where [people] are,” he said.
Cr Turner said farmers eligible for rural rates would not be affected, but those with five and 10-acre holdings, and did not farm, could be vulnerable.
At the meeting, Orange City Council general manager Garry Styles anticipated rates would rise only once land had been subdivided.
