Plans to expand the Orange Homemaker Centre have been revealed.
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On July 19, the Central Western Daily broke the news that Amart Furniture would be filling the third and final space at the former Bunnings site off the Mitchell Highway. It was hoped Amart would open prior to Christmas 2023.
This followed on from the inclusion of Oz Design Furniture and Baby Bunting, which meant that all retail sites at the Homemaker Centre were full.
Sentinel purchased the centre for $18.3 million in December, 2013 and its leasing executive Tim McDonnell said there had been "strong interest" from multiple national retailers recently looking to enter the Orange market.
He added that Sentinel would now consider expanding the centre. This would include developing a new retail building on the vacant block of land fronting the Mitchell Highway.
Orange City Council's employment and economic development committee chairman Tony Mileto welcomed news of a potential expansion of the Homemaker Centre.
"This retail area has been a successful part of the Orange retail scene for many years," he said.
"As a focussed 'bulky-goods' area it brings key retailers together and becomes a magnet which attracts both locals and shoppers from the wider region to Orange."
Mr Mileto said filling the current vacant space with a new building would "strengthen" the overall site.
He added the council would consider any development application (DA) proposed for the site in the normal way.
"There are a string of national retail brands that already have a presence in the Homemaker Centre and it's a good sign that another is on the way," he said.
"Major brands clearly see Orange as a growing retail centre where they want to do business.
"The possible expansion also demonstrates a high level of confidence in the local economy and provides further economic opportunities for Orange."
A DA for the possible expansion of the site has not yet been submitted.
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