A 113-year-old eastern suburbs building once used as a post office could soon be transformed into a restaurant.
The City of Bayswater council unanimously supported an application to change the use of the former Maylands post office — located at 160 Whatley Crescent — from an office to a restaurant at a council meeting last Tuesday night.
The application was put forward by MacCormac Architects.
Built in 1910, the building is believed to be Maylands’ first post office and was heritage listed in 2020.
“The proposal will allow for the retention of a heritage building and facilitate a new use for the building which will have a positive impact to the place’s social value as it will be accessible to the general public,” a staff report reads.
Any conditions imposed by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage will need to be implemented.
“I just wanted to add that I think this will be a great addition to the community,” Cr Michelle Sutherland said at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
“It’s in the middle of the Maylands Activity Centre in a great location, so it’s near the train station, near major transport and I think it’s a beautiful building.
“I say bring it on, I can’t wait to go and look at the site.”
In 2017 the city approved a similar application to change the building’s use to a small wine bar.
The application has since expired.
“I really love what the owners are planning on doing there, I know that they are very passionate from previous conversations with them … they’re very motivated to provide good customer service and make adjustments and improvements to the building to welcome lots of new customers to the area,” deputy mayor Elli Petersen-Pik said.
“I think it would be good (because) it would provide more safety to have something other than a closed building in the evenings.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen.”