ORANGE City Council has hit back after member for Orange Andrew Gee blamed it for hold-ups in progress on additional parking at Orange Health Service, saying the delays in upgrading the road network fell with the state government and they would not add a single car space.
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Mr Gee previously told the Central Western Daily a study on the required amount of parking would be needed before a car park could be built, which could not occur until the council completed an internal road upgrade and opened access to Huntley Road.
Council spokesman Nick Redmond said the internal roads project was in two parts - one between Huntley Road and the Mission Australian aged care facility, where work will start on May 9, and the second between the first stage and the country club and to the northern entrance off Forest Road.
“Both stages have council development consent however the second part is awaiting approval from the NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH),” he said.
Mr Redmond said the development application for stage two was lodged in September and the OEH was meant to issue general terms of approval, but failed to do so, forcing the council to pursue another avenue delaying the project by four months.
“In January this year, NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage approval had not been provided - at that time, council chose to grant the consent that was within its powers,” he said.
“Despite council consent, work cannot proceed until NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage consent is granted.”
Irrespective of the roadwork, Mr Redmond said parking was a separate issue, which fell under NSW Health Infrastructure’s responsibility.
“The road upgrades will provide linkages to the existing number of spaces, but will not provide news spaces,” he said.
The work is set to cost $670,000, co-funded by Orange City Council, the Orange Ex-Services’ Club, NSW Health Infrastructure and Mission Australia although the campus is owned by NSW Health.
An OEH spokeswoman said the Heritage Council of NSW received the application on March 29, giving it until May 6 to make a decision.
Asked whether he would take any action, Mr Gee said the two-and-a-half-month delay between the January approval and lodgement of the application in March would need to be taken up with the council.
“Council is responsible for the work and how it is managed,” he said.
danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au
