Ocean Drive motel gets nod

Bunbury City Council's plans to "invigorate" Ocean Drive could be one step closer to fruition, with the council set to approve a motel's rezoning application tonight.

Owners of the Ocean Drive Motel have applied to the council to rezone a residential lot on Greensell Street, which backs on to the beachside motel, so they can redevelop the land.

The plans are the latest in a string of potential plans for what the council describes as a tourism corridor.

Mayor Gary Brennan said the council had done its part in setting up Ocean Drive to be developed and it was time for the private sector to take over.

"Once the Punchbowl is finished and the motel is finished, we've done as much as we can from a zoning point of view," he said.

"And that is what our intention was - to rezone the land so investors can get some return because without the financial return they just won't invest and that's why it stayed idle all these years.

"The private sector can now take over and we're seeing that."

The former Punchbowl Caravan Park on Holywell Street next to Ocean Drive is in its final stages of rezoning to short and long-term accommodation plus retail.

Mr Brennan said the council would start marketing that land soon.

Meanwhile, he said plans for the "very tired, very old looking" Ocean Drive Motel were terrific.

While approval for the redevelopment would still need to go through the planning commission, plans could include a four-storey development including commercial, short stay and permanent residential units.