Housing & planning · Orange City Council
145 Lords Place office approval drops parking contribution condition
Orange councillors approved the office conversion and building works after rejecting an amendment that would have applied condition 7.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
The approved office conversion at 145 Lords Place will not include Orange City Council’s parking contributions condition 7. Councillors approved DA 245/2026(1) for a change of use, building alterations and additions, and business identification signage at the 6 October Planning and Development Committee meeting.
An amendment moved by Cr D Mallard and Cr M McDonell would have approved the application without removing the parking condition. It was defeated, with Cr McDonell and Cr Mallard voting for the amendment and the other listed councillors voting against. The original motion, which excluded condition 7, then passed with Cr McDonell and Cr Mallard voting against.
The minutes do not state the dollar value of the excluded contribution or why the condition was removed. They also do not record how parking demand from the office use will be addressed at the site.
Parking contributions were discussed during a separate application for a medical centre at 75 Kite Street. The chief executive told councillors the contribution reserve held about $465,000, after roughly $1 million in reserves in 2016-17 and a further $430,000 collected since then. Staff were investigating reductions of $974,000 in 2016 and $12,000 the following year because the earlier expenditure had no distinct reference in the information discussed.
The chief executive also said no money had been spent on adding parking in the CBD in the previous five years, and no contribution funds had been used for repairs or maintenance in the previous eight years, although earlier use was possible. Those figures relate to the broader parking contribution reserve, not to the Lords Place approval.
What deserves a closer look
The minutes record the approval and exclusion of condition 7, but do not give the contribution amount or the reason for excluding it.
The reserve figures were discussed during the 75 Kite Street application and do not establish that the Lords Place approval affected the reserve.
Questions for follow-up reporting
What amount would have been payable under Parking Contributions condition 7 for 145 Lords Place?
What assessment or consideration supported excluding condition 7 from this approval?
How will parking demand associated with the approved office use be addressed at the site?
What was the $974,000 reduction in the parking reserve in 2016 spent on, and when will that investigation be completed?
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
Council approved DA 245/2026(1) for office premises, a change of use, building alterations and additions, and business identification signage at 145 Lords Place, excluding Parking Contributions condition 7.
THE MOTION ON BEING PUT WAS CARRIED. RESOLVED - 26/535 Cr M Ruddy/Cr J Stedman That Council consents to development application DA 245/2026(1) for Office Premises (change of use and building alterations and additions) and Business Identification Signage at LOT: B DP: 394144 CA: 1618 - 145 Lords Place ORANGE pursuant to the conditions of consent in the attached Notice of Approval, excluding the application of Parking Contributions (condition 7).
Resolution 26/535, Item 2.6
Open original minutes ↗The amendment proposed approving the application while applying the parking contribution condition.
AMENDMENT Cr D Mallard/Cr M McDonell That Council consents to development application DA 245/2026(1) for Office Premises (change of use and building alterations and additions) and Business Identification Signage at LOT: B DP: 394144 CA: 1618 - 145 Lords Place ORANGE pursuant to the conditions of consent in the attached Notice of Approval.
Item 2.6, amendment
Open original minutes ↗The amendment was lost after Cr McDonell and Cr Mallard voted for it and the other listed councillors voted against.
For: Cr M McDonell (Chairperson), Cr D Mallard Against: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr J Stedman (Deputy Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy, Cr J Whitton Absent: Cr G Judge, Cr S Peterson THE AMENDMENT ON BEING PUT WAS LOST.
Item 2.6, amendment vote
Open original minutes ↗The final vote recorded Cr McDonell and Cr Mallard against the motion, with the other listed voting councillors for it.
For: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr J Stedman (Deputy Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy, Cr J Whitton Against: Cr M McDonell (Chairperson), Cr D Mallard Absent: Cr G Judge, Cr S Peterson PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES 6 OCTOBER 2026 Page 8 2.7 POST EXHIBITION REPORT - ORANGE LEP 2011 ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT (HOUSEKEEPING AMENDMENT) TRIM REFERENCE: 2026/1810 RESOLVED - 26/536 Cr D Mallard/Cr M McDonell That Council endorse the Planning Proposal as exhibited and authorise the Chief Executive Officer to formally make the plan in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (Part
Resolution 26/535 vote
Open original minutes ↗The chief executive reported a current parking contribution reserve balance of about $465,000 and said earlier expenditure was being investigated.
The Chief Executive Officer advised that in 2016/17 there was approximately $1m in reserves, and that Council has since collected another $430k. The current balance is $465k. In 2016 the reserve was reduced by $974k and in the following year it was reduced by a further $12k, and that the finance staff are currently investigating what these funds were used on as there is no distinct reference.
Item 2.3, parking contribution discussion
Open original minutes ↗The chief executive said no contribution funds had been used for repairs or maintenance in the previous eight years and no money had been spent on adding parking in the previous five years, while noting earlier use was possible.
He advised that no funds have been used for repairs or maintenance in the last 8 years, but may have been previously and that no money has been spent on adding parking in the last 5 years.
Item 2.3, parking contribution discussion
Open original minutes ↗Source record
This report is based on the public minutes of Orange City Council's Planning and Development Committee meeting held on 6 October 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- DA 245/2026(1) for office premises at 145 Lords Place was approved on 6 October 2026.
- The approval covers a change of use, building alterations and additions, and business identification signage.
- Parking Contributions condition 7 was excluded from the approval.
- An amendment to apply the condition was defeated, with Cr McDonell and Cr Mallard voting for it.
- The chief executive reported a current parking contribution reserve balance of about $465,000 and said earlier expenditure was being investigated.
Why it matters
- The approved office use and building works at 145 Lords Place are not subject to the parking contribution condition recorded in the application. The minutes do not disclose the value of the contribution or the reasons for excluding it.