Southern Peninsula
Features inside HEALTHY LIVING PAGE 31 FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT PAGES 32–34 SOUTHERN PENINSULA SCOREBOARD PAGES 38–39
An independent voice for the community
FREE
7 February – 20 February 2013 Your fortnightly community newspaper covering Safety Beach to Portsea For advertising and editorial needs, call 1300 MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
New days of learning THE summer holidays are over and children are back at school. For most it was a return to a familiar place of learning, full of friends and the challenges (and joys) of learning. But for hundreds of others it was a new experience. The start of a new era. Sure there are some faces they know from preschool, but the adults standing in the front of the class are new, and so are the rules. Days of learning will be longer and as time goes by, checks and balances will come into play to make sure the knowledge is retained and able to be used efficiently and effectively. The Department of Education estimates 15,900 students have enrolled in government-funded schools on the Mornington Peninsula for 2013 classes, including 10,200 primary school pupils, 5500 secondary school students and 200 special school pupils. About 1500 preps are at school for the first time. New ways: Molly, Kes and Max were among the preps starting at Rosebud Primary School. Picture: Yanni
Three-storey signs war By Mike Hast A WAR of signs has broken out over plans for a three-storey building in Jetty Rd near Rosebud pier. The owner of 1a and 1b Jetty Rd, Leigh Coleman, wants a 13.5-metre (45-foot) high building with restaurants and cafes on the ground floor, two floors of apartments facing the water, and a basement car park. Near-neighbours Joe and Charles Agius, brothers who each own a townhouse in Jetty Rd opposite the site,
have erected a large sign asking people to oppose the development. The sign states Mornington Peninsula Shire is limiting people’s ability to object to the plan. Mr Coleman has “replied� to the sign by erecting one of his own with the headline: “Sign opposite is all wrong� and encouraging people to “Call council to get the facts�. Joe Agius told The News the only image of the proposed building in the application was a silhouette that did not
give a true sense of the building’s bulk. “There is no reference to the number of restaurant seats and it appears the building will be erected right on the property boundary on Jetty Rd, not set back as in the previous plan,� he said. He questioned the small number of car parks in the building’s basement. Thirty-four car parks for 34 apartments as well as restaurants and cafes were insufficient, and would put pressure on existing parking in the area. Mr Agius said he had received more
Marshall’s HOLIDAY RENTALS MORNINGTON
ONCE A YEAR WAREHOUSE CLEARANCE STOCK PRICED TO CLEAR!
9best service 9best ROI
MATTRESSES BEDROOM FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA BEDSHED MORNINGTON SUPERSTORE Peninsula Homemaker Centre, Cnr Nepean Hwy & Bungower Road 0HONE s WWW BEDSHED COM AU
WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON PRICE OR QUALITY $FFUHGLWHG ,QVWDOOHUV (VWDEOLVKHG \HDUV
Ph: 5977 0878
1R 2EOLJDWLRQ )UHH 4XRWDWLRQV
NT S WA
THE BIGGEST DISPLAY OF
9biggest team 9100% holiday focus
PR
RT I E G U O P E UALITY FOR
ED &DUV +RPHV 2IĂ€FHV
5984 5955 www.MyRentals.com.au 119 Ocean Beach Rd. Upstairs (cnr. Darling Rd.)
Continued Page 4
Thinking of selling? Call Director Troy Daly for a free property appraisal and report on 0418 397 771.
Property to lease?
ESTS
Q
dismissed their appeal. However, construction did not go ahead. Mr Coleman had originally asked the shire for 500 restaurant and cafe seats, but this became 200 seats when the final application went to the shire and was approved. In early December last year, the project was back on the agenda when the council approved the start of a process to change the planning scheme to allow three storeys on the 2550-square metre site.
appraised
SORRENTO OFFICE We are the largest on the Mornington Peninsula
than 20 emails on Tuesday asking for objection forms, which were due at the council by Friday 15 February. The “sign war� is just the latest skirmish over the property. In 2007 Mr Coleman sought shire approval to erect a two-storey building of 10 metres (33 feet) with a restaurant, two cafes and 10 apartments. The council approved the plan, but in 2008 the Agius brothers with support of neighbours challenged the decision in the state planning tribunal, which
1000a Nepean Highway, Mornington
Holiday and permanent rentals are urgently required. Call our rental managers for a free appraisal now. Portsea-Sorrento 109 Beach Road, Sorrento 5984 4388 buxton.com.au buxtonportseasorrento.com.au