Thursday, October 10, 2024

Orange council signs affordable housing MOU for farm site

Orange City Council and Landcom have reached the next milestone in a proposal to build a new residential precinct to deliver diverse and affordable housing in the city.

After signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in March this year to explore development opportunities, Council and Landcom have now signed a Project Delivery Agreement (PDA) which cements the partnership and details future plans for the Redmond Place site.

The PDA outlines the plans for a new 25-hectare precinct on Orange’s eastern outskirts alongside Redmond Place (pictured). The estate will become home to at least 300 homes, with at least 20% designated as affordable housing.

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, welcomed the milestone.

“This is another example of the NSW Government putting Landcom to work to deliver the homes we need for regional NSW, “ Mr Scully said.

“The housing crisis isn’t a Sydney crisis, it is statewide, and the plans we are announcing today, will mean more people in Orange will have a safe and affordable place to call home.

“More housing in regional NSW means people will have a choice to live and work in the communities they grew up in while also allowing regional communities to grow.”

Orange Mayor Jason Hamling said the new housing area would set new housing standards for Orange.

“The signing of the PDA was a sign of progress towards building a fairer community for everyone in Orange,” Mayor Hamling said.

“The Council has heard loud and clear that housing affordability is the number one issue facing the Orange community.

“We’ve got a long way to go, but the signing of this PDA shows we’re making steady progress on delivering solutions.

“We want this new housing area to set the standard for contemporary new housing estates in Orange.

“The first step towards delivering affordability is recognising that not everyone needs a 750 square metre block with a four-bedroom house. This project is about diversity.”

Landcom CEO, Alexander Wendler said he was pleased to be cooperating with local councils.

“Landcom has an ambitious agenda to get shovels in the ground and more people into homes – to make a real difference in NSW,” Mr Wendler said.

“This project will build hundreds of homes in Orange, while we will continue to work with Councils, and other partners to find more sites to do even more across the state.”

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