About 240 jobs would be created in the project that would see up to $45 million invested in Orange.

Melbourne-based developers The Jasbe Group said they were ready to start work on the first stage of the development which would include a highway service centre and an Oporto fast food restaurant.

The site is on vacant farmland on the corner of the NDR and Leeds Parade next to the railway line and opposite the Bunnings store.

Jasbe's Paul Morgan told council this week they were also "in advanced talks" with other fast food restaurants for the North Orange site.

"We have already had pre-commitments from Carls Jr. and KFC, as well as Oporto," he said.

He said the fast food restaurants would create 180 jobs while the service centre would create 60 jobs.

"These are not construction jobs, they are full-time permanent jobs," he said.

Mr Morgan asked council to modify its development planning controls on the size of advertising signs on the site to include two eight-metre by three-metre free-standing pylon signs and more freedom for signs on the buildings.

He said without these changes the entire project was at risk.

"Without these signs these tenants of ours will not come to Orange," he said.

Mr Morgan said the development site was below the level of the road and therefore larger signs were needed to advertise the businesses to passing motorists.

"There are a number of other sites in Orange which enjoy far greater signs, such as KFC and McDonald's on Bathurst Road, the Hungry Jacks in town, even McDonald's on the Northern Distributor Road and even the Bunnings across the road from our site has far greater signage," he said.

"We're planning on spending between $35 million and $45 million in Orange over the next couple of years through this stage and various other stages of our project," he said.

"We're ready to start building the first and second stages of our project. The first stage is obviously the infrastructure and enabling works which is about $4.5 million which would go to a local business."

Councillors agreed to include the expanded signage request into its development control plans which will go on exhibition for 28 days to allow for public submissions.

Cr Jeff Whitton proposed including the developer's request. "I don't want to jeopardise the development application and the jobs," he said.

Several councillors said they were confused as to how the request varied from council's planning controls proposal. Mayor Cr Reg Kidd said council staff should urgently contact the developer to explain what they were seeking. "Get them to say exactly what they want," he said.

However Cr Joanne McRae said she was "uncomfortable" with the process.

"I actually don't know what they want and how that conflicts with what council has actually put into writing," she said.

"I really don't think it's appropriate to make this up on the run."

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