Orange City Council has voted to approve a development application for the house after it was opposed by neighbours.

The plans were altered several times, went on public exhibition three times and included a site visit from councillors.

It came to a head at council's meeting last week where the land owner Mr Michael Truloff again asked council to approve the DA after a lawyer for neighbour Rex Wood called on council to refuse it.

Mr Truloff said the development met council rules.

"We've spent a lot of time dreaming about this house," he said.

He said they had changed the plans after submissions to council had opposed it.

"We have bent over backwards," he said.

Alyce Kliese, a solicitor with a legal firm specialising in planning and environmental law, spoke for her client Mr Wood who lives next to the block.

She said if council approved the development it "would result in an error of law" and said council should refuse it.

However, council voted to support a staff report recommending the development be approved.

It said the $850,000 development would include the removal of two trees including a eucalyptus ribbon gum.

"The topography and slenderness of this site makes it a difficult site to develop," the report said.

"While it has taken the applicant a considerable time to amend plans adequately since lodgement so this application may progress, amendments are considered to have taken into account concerns of the neighbours.

"The proposed two-storey dwelling with a lower ground floor is not unlike other dwellings in the area that have taken advantage of the slope to provide a lower ground floor.

"The final design, while providing a building that will certainly be prominent, especially when viewed from the neighbour to the north, takes into account the challenges of the site's topography, the northern sunlight opportunities, neighbours' privacy, bulk, scale and existing vegetation to a level that achieves compliance with Council's planning controls.

"It is noted that the neighbours continue to express significant objection."

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