WITH the Department of Industry to take half of the former Orange base hospital site, an architect has emphasised the need to keep the remainder for housing.
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John Andrews, a Harvard graduate best known for designing the Canadian National Tower in Toronto and the former Sydney Exhibition Centre, worked on concept plans for the former base hospital together with sons Lee and Dal, both Penn and Harvard graduates themselves.
The design, completed at the request of Orange City Council, featured four four-storey apartment buildings along Prince Street, containing about 64 units.
The Dalton Street side included 10 courtyard houses and 14 shop-top units.
Half the design will not be able to proceed after the Western Joint Regional Planning Panel approved the replacement for the current Department of Primary Industries building on the eastern side of the block.
Mr Andrews disagreed with the front of the building facing south, in shadow.
“Anson Street is the commercial side, but it will have a car park,” he said.
VIDEO: The Department of Industry building approved by the JRPP last week ...
“The multilevel car park [looking] from Dalton Street is unbelievable bad.”
However, Mr Andrews said the 10 courtyard homes and two of the apartment buildings, along with a park down the centre, would still be possible.
“Orange desperately needs medium-density housing and it also needs open space so people can live a reasonable life,” he said.
Planning and development committee chairman and councillor Russell Turner supported housing for the western half of the site.
“Perhaps with a commercial element in case [businesses] want to operate alongside the DPI,” he said.
Cr Turner said he also wanted to see open space.
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