Demolition DA to outline plans for former hospital site


27 July 2016

Plans to demolish the buildings on the site of the former Orange Base Hospital will go on-show for community comment this week.

Orange City Council, which bought the site from the NSW Government in May this year, plans to demolish all buildings on the site except the main tower/ward building and the former ambulance station to make way for a multi-level housing development. A separate DA for the residential project will be lodged in due course.

Orange mayor John Davis said he is pleased the project is making progress.

“The task of demolishing so many buildings across a whole city block is a major project, so it’s important that the Orange community can find out more about what’s planned and has an opportunity to have a say,” Cr John Davis said.

“This new housing project has the potential to set new standards for contemporary-style, multi-level apartments in Orange.”

Once the Development Application (DA) for the demolition goes on public display on Saturday, the community will have 30 days to make comments, with the deadline on 30 August.

The demolition Development Application includes an assessment of environment effects of the demolition. It outlines :
  • How potentially hazardous building materials such as asbestos, would be dealt with
  • As assessment of heritage values of a number of different hospital buildings
  • The potential impact of the demolition process on the surrounding residential area including noise
  • A timeline when each building would be demolished
  • Removal of a disused underground 40,000 litre diesel tank
The study finds that around 16,000 tonnes of waste bricks and concrete could be recycled where possible or transported off-site.

The DA suggests it would take around six months (depending on the staging of the project) to compete the demolition. During the project it’s expected there would be in the order of 16 heavy vehicle movements a day.

Orange City Council is seeking expressions of interest from investment companies and
developers about the proposed housing development on the site.



“Depending on the level of interest from the market, the main tower block could still be
demolished,” Cr John Davis said. “So the current DA will also gain approval to cover the possibility of the demolition of that building as well.”

It’s expected Orange City Council would put the demolition project out to tender in
September 2016.

There is more information about the demolition, together with information about making a
submission on the DA and the official documents
can be downloaded from the council website.

Orange City Council has also written to residents in the neighbourhood around the hospital
site to inform them about the demolition DA process.

THE VIEW: This is the view potential residents of the old hospital site tower would have.
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Consultation has concluded