Housing Plus developments' opposition in Orange leads to call for housing summit

Cr Stephen Nugent said there were about 200, mainly low-income working people, on the waiting list for social and affordable housing in Orange.

He said moves to provide housing, principally by Housing Plus, had "reached a bit of an impasse."

Cr Nugent said he had begun talks with other councillors, staff and Housing Plus CEO David Fisher.

"I will be pursuing it. I'd like to put it out there in the public forum," he said.

"[I am proposing] a summit or meeting of all the stakeholders who play a part in providing housing services in Orange. It would be fairly broad," he said.

Cr Nugent said he supported the "current best practice" methods of mixing social and affordable housing with other residential housing.

"Not putting all the social and affordable housing in one place and causing a difficult situation," he said.

"It makes perfect sense from my point of view."

However, such proposals from Housing Plus have met with opposition from residents living near developments in Forbes Road and Lantana Place.

Opposition is also expected from residents at the latest development planned for Emerald Street in north Orange.

"Maybe there is a level of misunderstanding, a level of the unknown that needs to be addressed," he said.

Cr Nugent said the forum should seek a better public understanding of the housing developments and the people who needed them plus identify ways to make them happen.

"We have an immediate need that's right here, right now," he said.

Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...