Four-year planning battle clears path for new seniors housing model
A proposed seniors housing development in Orange, NSW, has secured planning approval, paving the way for an 82-room rental project designed for residents aged 60 and over.
The Western Regional Planning Panel granted Deferred Development Consent for a modified development application lodged by property owner and applicant Ryan Pittman to redevelop a site about 5km from the Orange city centre, 254km west of Sydney.
Known as Bingara Gardens, the seniors housing development will comprise 82 rooms across four buildings – two single-storey and two two-storey – with the site’s existing dwelling to be converted into a residential clubhouse with communal resident and staff facilities.
Unlike traditional retirement villages, the proposal is designed around a co-living model offering long-term rental accommodation, aimed at providing housing security for older residents.
Supporting infrastructure will include parking for residents and staff, service access, an ambulance bay and landscaped communal outdoor areas with accessible pathways across the site.
A public bus service operates within about 250 metres of the development, and the proposal includes a 14-seat community bus to assist residents travelling to and from the Orange town centre.
A Social Needs Assessment prepared by policy and social planning consultancy Two Things for BZ Capital Pty Ltd said the project aims to provide rental housing aligned with the Age Pension.
“The vision of the Bingara Gardens development is to pioneer an alternative to traditional retirement village living by introducing a purpose-built co-living seniors housing model,” Director Jo McLellan wrote.
The report noted that more than 80% of homes in the Orange Local Government Area have three or more bedrooms, compared with 68% across NSW, highlighting the limited downsizing options available locally.
Providing smaller purpose-built housing for older residents could help free up larger homes for younger households while allowing seniors to remain in their community, it added.
