Orange Mayor Tony Mileto has expressed his disappointment that developers pulled the pin on a six-storey luxury apartment complex in Orange.
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The 103 Prince Street project gained approval from the Western Region Planning Panel in May 2023 and was set to feature 60 units, 16 two storey terraces, and a public park.
Marketing material at the time suggested that townhouses would start from about $1.65 million and two bedroom apartments from $810,000.
However, with construction yet to begin by the start of 2025, the CWD revealed that developers Maas Properties were yet to hire a construction team for the job.
It has now been confirmed by the CWD that following this failed developer search, Maas have scrapped the project entirely.
Property development director for Maas, Michael Noonan said the project was put out to tender, with three builders coming back with prices "substantially more" than Maas' budget.
"They all came in significantly higher than what made the project viable," he said.
"It's commercially unviable in its current form. It's not going ahead."
Mr Noonan added that those who had paid deposits with the intention of purchasing one of the Prince Street properties had been offered their money back, plus interest, of which all accepted.
Maas remains the owner of the site and will examine options on what to do next.
One possibility that will be explored is selling the land to a company who believe "they could make it work."
"We desperately wanted to do the project," Mr Noonan added.
Early problems
Development of the former Base Hospital site had proven controversial.
Initial layout plans were rejected by Orange City Council before a redesign was lodged months later and subsequently approved.
"We put forward a plan originally when we lodged the DA which we were comfortable at the time we could build for a price," Mr Noonan said of the rejected plans.
"That got modified through the approval process. We ended up with what we got approved."
Mayor reacts
Prior to Maas scrapping the project entirely, Mr Noonan said they approached Orange council to see if the Development Control Plan (DCP) which stipulated the site be used for medium-density housing could be altered.
Mr Noonan said council refused.
"It is a bit disappointing they wouldn't consider a discussion about that," he added.
Orange Mayor Tony Mileto expressed his "extreme disappointment" at the decision by Maas to pull out of the project.
However, he added the goal had always been to build medium-density homes, which include townhouses or duplexes.
"Council has a long-held ambition for that type of development," he said.
"Council adopted the DCP for that site many years ago which was long-known to the industry and sold on that basis."
He hoped another developer would take on the project and "make the site work" under the current regulations.
"That's always been the focus of Orange City Council and that won't change," he said.
