CUTTING 28 minutes off the trip between Sydney and Orange is tipped to have another positive impact on Orange's booming real estate and tourism markets.
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McGrath Real Estate Orange director Josh Fitzgerald said that while the property market is healthy now, once the construction of the Blue Mountains tunnel begins it will take another big step up.
The NSW Government has announced construction on the east and west sections of the the project will start later next year.
Work on the actual 11km $4.5billion tunnel, which will link Blackheath to Little Hartley, is scheduled to begin in 2024.
"The tunnel will make journeys between the Central West and the east coast more time efficient and safer," Mr Fitzgerald said. "While the market is buoyant at the moment, we can predict that it will increase once construction starts on the project."
Mr Fitzgerald believes investors will be at the forefront of the boom and with the reduction in trip time of almost half an hour, to just three hours, the Orange region will be even more attractive to Sydney tree-changers.
"Once you get to a three hour time to Sydney, Orange, Bathurst and Mudgee are going to open up and investors will grab onto that opportunity," Mr Fitzgerald said.
Once you get to a three hour time to Sydney, Orange, Bathurst and Mudgee are going to open up and investors will grab onto that opportunity
- Josh Fitzgerald
Mr Fitzgerald agreed the predicted boom could place pressure on Orange's strained affordable housing market but said there were solutions.
"I think everyone is catered for at Shiralee," he said, pointing to Orange City Council's diversified housing masterplan south of Orange.
That development offers various-sized lots to suit lifestyle and budget choices.
Orange 360 general manager Caddie Marshall said the tunnel would be a huge boost for tourism in the district.
"It will absolutely," she said.
"Anything that increases access - people can knock off from work, pick the kids up from school at 3.30 and get out here (within three hours)."
She added the magic three hour time limit also helped with visitors being able to build a familiarity with an area through repeat visits.
"Then you get that visitor base that act as ambassadors," she said.
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