Dalyellup’s tavern taps council tick

Dalyellup residents’ long time wish for a tavern is set to come true after the Capel Shire Council approved a development application for a complex on Portobello Road.

Along with the tavern, the complex is set to include a new takeaway food outlet, health studio, medical centre, consulting rooms and day care centre, all located adjacent to the town square.

Shire president Murray Scott said he believed the finished product could only be good for the community.

He added this was the first application to make the project appear a worthwhile investment for Dalyellup.

“It will become the central hub once it gets up and running,” he said.

“The town square will start growing after that.”

After originally being recommended to reject the application, the council opted to approve the plan provided certain conditions were met after several concerns regarding the position of the day care centre in relation to the tavern were raised along with compliance issues with the proposed carpark.

Project planner and manager Henry Dykstra said he had no issues addressing the council’s conditions with only minor changes needed in order to meet them.

“We were happy with those conditions,” he said.

“We would expect to be ready to start development at the very end of this year or in the first quarter of next year.”

Prince of Wales Hotel owner Mitch Thorn has been waiting in the wings to open a tavern in Dalyellup and said in September he hoped to have one open within 12 months.

Once work was under way on the project, Mr Dykstra said he expected work to be completed within seven or eight months.

“If it did start by Christmas, we could see it completed maybe by August,” he said.