Approval has been granted for a new multilevel apartment building and townhouse complex for Orange, the Colour City’s first medium-rise apartment block.

The new development, located on the western end of the former Orange Base Hospital site, includes 16 two-storey townhouses on Dalton Street and a six-storey building, containing 60 apartments, on Prince Street.

The project will be built by the Dubbo-based MAAS Group and also includes a 2,400-square-metre public park in the centre of the block which will be built by the developer and then handed over to Orange City Council.

Due to the size of the development, it was the Western Regional Planning Panel (WRPP) that granted final planning approval.

But Orange City Council has welcomed the decision, with Mayor Jason Hamling expressing his hope that we may see more medium-density developments in the future.

“Orange is a growing regional city and this building breaks new ground for medium-rise apartment living,” Cr Hamling said. “As a city, we need to be growing up as well as out, and I’m hoping this project will pioneer a new approach for other developers to follow.”

The project was first on exhibition in June last year, but in November the WRPP requested a number of changes to the developer's original plans. These changes included the relocation of the basement entrance to the eastern boundary of the site, reducing the number of townhouses from 17 to 16, and the number of apartments from 63 to 60; positioning the building further back from Prince and Sale Streets; reducing the size of the public park in the middle of the block; and alterations to external finished materials.

“Both Council and the WRPP had concerns about the developer’s first set of building plans,” Cr Hamling said.

“But they’ve been willing to come back with modifications that will ensure these new apartments make a big contribution to the local neighbourhood.

“Council supported the latest design and I’m pleased the WRPP has now given its approval.”

The 103 Prince Street project will be built by the Dubbo-based MAAS Group.