What difference would it make?

The masterplan finds that development of the precinct has potential to deliver a number of key opportunities.

It could capitalise on the significant opportunities to develop complementary health services and life sciences education and research around the existing Orange Health Service Public Hospital and Orange Agricultural Institute ( and GATE precinct).

It would do this by broadening the services available, enabling business synergies and improving community access to education and research services.

Key opportunities identified include:

• Health Care: With a growing and ageing population, there are opportunities across all health care sectors, including mental health services, to provide growth opportunities.
• Forest Road: The opportunity is to strengthen Forest Road as a ‘main street’ destination connecting the internal road system within the Bloomfield Hospital precinct with the centre of Orange and the southern suburbs. This would create commercial and public accommodation linking the educational and health precincts.
• Strengthen public transport: There is potential to improve public transport options from the railway station by a more frequent bus service to be used by students, seniors and access impaired users.
• Heritage: There is significant potential to capitalise on the area’s heritage buildings with heritage walks and possible re-purposing as commercial accommodation.