Gunida Gunyah Aboriginal Corporation was set to begin fitting out the pub months ago, but chief executive officer Jane Bender says they haven't even started.

"The move to the new premises is very slow; we are waiting for our development application to be approved by [the council] still," she said.

"The DA was lodged in September and we are still waiting."

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The pub will be worked into a community hub for the company to move from its Farrar Road facility.

The ideal completion date for the first stage of the work was early 2021, but this now seems unlikely.

But a Gunnedah Shire Council spokesperson said the "assessment of this application was ongoing".

"Gunnedah Shire Council staff have been working with the applicant on this complex application which includes a significant change of use," they said.

"Council staff have recently conducted a comprehensive inspection of the building in the presence of Gunida Gunyah representatives.

"All development applications must meet legislative and safety requirements before an application can be approved."

Stage one will involve the fit-out of the ground floor, where the main bar areas will be turned into individual offices, private interview rooms, disabled toilets, and a conference room.

There'll also be new bathrooms, an upgraded commercial kitchen, and a ramp out the front to the entry.

Stage two will see the upstairs rooms - which are currently in a state of disrepair - redone for the organisation's new transitional housing program.