A Sydney Lebanese charcoal chicken restaurant is looking to expand into the Illawarra.
Al Tazah has an outlet in Sydney's Regents Park, near Bankstown, and the Wollongong store would be its second.
The charcoal chicken joint is looking to move into the vacant Top Choice restaurant in Market Street, opposite Samaras on the corner of Market and Corrimal streets.
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The menu includes Lebanese-style chicken, burgers, wraps and other meals like falafel and kebbah platters.
A development application for the restaurant fitout and a "coffee cart" has been lodged with Wollongong City Council.
The cart will operate between 5-10am every day, while the restaurant will be open seven days a week from 10am to 12pm.
Inside there will be space for 48 diners and another 36 outside and the restaurant will employ up to 10 people.
The exterior of the restaurant will remain largely unchanged.
"The existing building or the overall finished design of the existing building is not being varied significantly under this development application," the statement of environmental effects said.
"Except for the new upgrades and embellishments, there are no new alterations or additions to the existing building's height, bulk, footprint, or envelope, which will vary the size, shape, or appearance of the building from that which currently exists."
The development documents claimed that opening a restaurant in what is now a vacant space was in the public interest.
"There will be short-term economic and social benefits such as employment during and after construction and the promotion of the locality as a strong and viable place for local business and investment," the statement of environmental effects said.
"The proposal will broadly enhance the locality and maintains Wollongong city centre as an attractive place to live, work or visit."
The development application is on public exhibition until November 16.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
