Updated plans lodged for Orange’s John Davis Stadium include larger grandstand

Updated plans for Orange’s John Davis Stadium include a larger grandstand than originally planned and new amenities block for the athletic track. The new Development Applications was lodged this week.

It is expected the stadium project will go out to tender in the coming months, as the planning approval process progresses. 

The grandstand at the John Davis Stadium at Orange’s new Sports precinct will be among the biggest in the central west, following extra funding added to the project by the Australian Government.

The lodging of the latest round of Development Applications for the Sports Precinct shows a grandstand with 1350 seats, plus two corporate boxes with uninterrupted halfway line viewing that can accommodate up to 20 people each. The design also allows for temporary corporate areas for premier events.

Orange Mayor Tony Mileto is pleased to see blueprints for a larger grandstand noting “while planning had earlier been proceeding for a 1000-seat stadium, the decision in January by the Australian Government to contribute $15 million meant we could look closely at designs and costings for more seats, and we’re confident a 1350-seat stadium can be delivered.

“While the new stadium will mostly host Orange region fixtures, it is designed to ensure it can cater for marquee games and events.”

“The Council has heard the clear call from the community for a larger grandstand and the new designs reflect that change. Compared to the earlier designs, the new grandstand will be wider to make room for extra seats. The new design will also include two glass-fronted rooms designed to operate as ‘corporate boxes’ for major events.

“Because the sports precinct proposal is right alongside the Bloomfield health precinct, heritage considerations are always going to be crucial when it comes to gaining planning permission. That’s why the low profile of the grandstand is important.

“It’s a two-storey building, but only the top level will be visible from Forest Road.”

Work is progressing on-site with grass already being mowed on the first four of eight new sports fields and the laying of turf on the next four fields has also been completed taking the total turfed to eight.

While the Western Regional Planning Panel has already given overall concept approval for the project, the design of key elements has reached the stage where planning permission is needed for buildings and other structures.

Updated plans were submitted this week with the state planning portal for:

• The 1350-seat grandstand and the 10,000 person capacity John Davis Sports Stadium

• An amenities building with a canteen and storage facilities that will be next to the athletics track grandstand

• Field lighting for the eight new sports fields

• Two new car parks, and

• The landscaping masterplan

Orange City Council Recreation & Culture Committee Chair Tammy Greenhalgh has welcomed the latest progress and enthused “It’s great to see the new fields already being mown. It’s looking like a place where we can imagine sport happening.

“It’s great to be seeing more steady progress on the precinct site at the same time as we’re seeing movement when it comes to the next steps of gaining planning approval. I’m also pleased to see the latest plans for the new amenities block located near the eight new sports fields will include a canteen.”

The NSW Government has committed $59.5 million and the Australian Government has committed $15 million under its Growing Regions Program to the Orange Sports Precinct project.

Expressions of Interest from contractors wanting to be considered for the project has also opened. In April a short-list of construction companies will be selected before the project goes out to tender in May.

Image. The updated design of the new grandstand at the John Davis Sports Stadium will be the central west’s biggest. Credit: Orange City Council