Capel council drops opposition to ring road

The Shire of Capel has agreed to Main Roads WA’s request to build the Bunbury Outer Ring Road through Gelorup after years of resistance. Four previous motions had been rejected by the Capel council, refusing Main Roads’ requests for shire approval of the southern section of the ring road. The plans for the section were originally put to council in November 2019 followed by another motion in December that year. On both occasions the council declined the request. In April 2020, the Capel council declined upgrades to additional roads as a result of the ring road, given its overall objection to the Gelorup section of the project. More than a year later, in October 2021, the council voted in favour of recommending that the WA Planning Commission refuse development approval of the Capel section of the ring road. Councillor Kieran Noonan said while there were downsides to the ring road for Capel, the time was right to accept the proposal. “When it came to council previously I think we were right to hold it up but in the end it was a Pyrrhic victory,” he said. “Ultimately it was always going to happen. “I really appreciate the fact that previous councils held this up because I think it sent a message to Main Roads and the minister, a message that they had to hear.” Cr Noonan said the shire needed to keep communication open to keep the outcome positive. “Now is a time where we should be mending fences, we need to recognise this is going to happen, the road is well under construction,” he said. “It’s time for us to really be going back to Main Roads and back to the minister and saying thank you very much for these, thank you for this additional burden you’ve placed on the shire. “However there should be ... some recognition of this additional burden that is placed upon the shire.”