Grand plans for seniors’ hostel in Orange, with swimming pool, gym and clubhouse

April 18, 2023

By Peter Holmes

A 153-room hostel for seniors - with an inground swimming pool, clubhouse, gymnasium, bowls green and bocce court - has been proposed for Orange.

A DA lodged by BZ Capital Pty Ltd is seeking approval to construct the large facility on land at 60 Witton Place, west of the CBD.

“The development will provide leased co-living and supported residential accommodation for seniors (60 years of age or older),” states the DA. “Meals, laundering and other facilities will be provided by the operator.”

Due to the nature of the proposed development it is considered “regionally significant”, and the consent authority will be the Western Regional Planning Panel, not Orange City Council. Council, however, is able to make a submission.

To be named Bingara Gardens, the DA proposes a “seniors ‘co-living’ style hostel”.

Rooms would comprise a bedroom, living room with small kitchenette, and bathroom.

"The rooms meet relevant circulation standards to allow a wardrobe and a single-size bed ..." the DA states.

The resident-only community clubhouse would cover 350 square metres and would be located in the house currently on the block.

Red marker shows the location. Google Earth.

The DA states the facility would provide “purpose-built facilities for the ageing population. Of particular note is the predominance of 3 and 4 bedroom housing in Orange, which does not cater for, or provide an affordable option for, residents who live alone”.

“The proposed development will create a safe, secure, and active community that offers a sense of belonging and peace of mind to the ageing population.

"It will deliver crucial social infrastructure in Orange, which, as with rest of the country, is facing a cost of living crisis, rapid growth in market rents, and inadequate supply of housing for seniors.”

It says Bingara Gardens would offer a “unique solution to the housing needs of Orange seniors, with premium accommodation and facilities, while maintaining an ‘affordable’ approach”.

It said fortnightly payments would be pegged to the aged pension, and that there would be “security of tenure as the facility is institutionally owned”.

A flag-down public bus service route (route 537) was about 250 metres from the site.

60 Witton Place last sold at the end of October in 2023 for $3.3 million.

Access is proposed via Witton Place to the north and a new private road to connect with Bowman Avenue in the southern section of the site.

If approved, the development would see the removal of a shed, 20 trees and two hedgerows.

Aside from the 17 buildings, permission is sought to construct 39 parking spaces (including 10 accessible spaces, two staff spaces and one ambulance space).

The DA says there would be three to four staff, “including an on-site manager on the premises at all times”.

Photo from previous sale. realestate.com.au

Most of the construction will be single-level, however the DA seeks a maximum building height of 8.65 metres for two two-storey buildings (Buildings B and D).

The size of the land at 60 Witton Place is 21,750 square metres. The proposed gross floor area of the buildings is 5,100 square metres. Landscaped areas would cover 11,400 square metres and would include “retention of some existing vegetation, new plantings, and accessible pedestrian paths throughout the site”.

The Clubhouse area would include meal service, dining area, kitchen, lounge, library, laundry, bathrooms and gymnasium.

There would be 1,250 square metres of communal facilities including outdoor inground swimming pool (already on site, but to be adapted), lawn bowls, bocce, open space areas, dining area and a BBQ area.

Communal bins would be provided in multiple areas, and a weekly collection would be organised via a private waste agreement.

“ … the development will provide crucial social infrastructure to the Orange community,” states the DA. It describes the facility as “a progressive and independent co-living model for people aged over 60”.

It says it “has been thoughtfully designed to respond to the contextual setting with residential uses to the east and north, rural uses to the south and west, as well as potential future residential development of the land to the west …”