Twin roadhouses will be all about the destination

The drive to Perth along Forrest Highway will soon look a bit different with work to get underway on twin roadhouses near the Pinjarra turn-off.

Development of the roadhouses had been previously delayed but the site came under new ownership in July and construction is tipped to get underway either late next month or early November.

The sites are owned and developed by Security Capital Australia and the company’s director Mark Clohessy anticipated they would be open by mid-2017, with signage at the sites also reflecting this.

Caltex will operate the petrol stations on both sides of the highway and Mr Clohessy said there would be four other tenancies at each, with more expressions of interest lodged than available space.

He had “no doubt” the development would be a success despite twin BP roadhouses opening in Baldivis earlier this year, believing the new roadhouses would be sufficiently different.

“I think the Baldivis sites are great but I also think they are metropolitan sites,” Mr Clohessy said.

“Our view is this would be the preferred site for someone to stop because we think it is a much better stopping distance between Perth and the South West.

“What we’re trying to do is make these a different offering and a destination offering.

“We want to have four shops there so when people stop, they can have a proper meal as if they are going to a shopping centre.”

Exact tenants are still to be confirmed but Mr Clohessy said he was looking at a “good mix of food offerings” and hinted these could include a national chain coffee store, patisserie or bakery and a Mexican restaurant.

There is 6ha of land on each side of the highway, he said, which would create space for other businesses such as a car wash.

Mr Clohessy said it was now just a matter of finalising contracts before construction would begin.