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Tuesday 17 July 2018
5973 6424 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au History of caring: Chief executive officer Angelia Dixon takes shelter near the sign showing the historic links between the Andrew Kerr Care centre for the aged and its namesake, Sergeant Andrew Kerr. Picture: Yanni
Aged care centre honours namesake THE Andrew Kerr Care centre for the aged in Mornington is this week commemorating the death of its namesake: Sergeant Andrew Kerr. This Friday (20 July) marks the 102nd anniversary of the death of Sgt Kerr who died in the trenches of Fromelles, France, in 1916. The Digger’s body lies at Rue Du Bois Military Cemetery in Fleurbaix, which long-standing Andrew Kerr Care employee Richard Cornish visited to pay his respects at the grave site. Chief executive officer Angelia Dixon said a new sign on the corner of Tanti Avenue and Barkley Street, Mornington would make the soldier’s link to the centre better known. “The historic Glenbank [was] donated by Sgt Kerr’s mother in his name and still sits on the Andrew Kerr Care site where it is used as a day centre for older peninsula residents,” she said. Praise for Sgt Kerr by one of his subordinates is said to sum him up well: “It was always our safety that he looked after.” Ms Dixon said. “The Andrew Kerr Care of today looks after the safety and dignity of our older peninsula residents. “We are very privileged to take care of members of our community and honour Sgt Kerr’s sacrifice through our commitment to the care and safety our residents and home care clients.” The not for profit centre has 117 beds and provides home care services and a day centre. Two residential units were rebuilt last year and there are plans to redevelop two remaining units.
Planning doubts hit property prices Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au BUILDERS, real estate agents and vendors are bracing themselves for the effects of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s proposed Housing Settlement Strategy even before it is implemented. The broad aim of the strategy now awaiting planning minister Richard Wynne’s decision, is to increase the minimum size of lots for subdivision up to 900 square metres.
This has meant that builders and developers, who previously would have been potential buyers of average sized 720-750 square metre blocks in Mornington, and particularly in the Dava Drive area, are now not interested because the blocks can’t be subdivided. Real estate agents say this has removed a segment of potential buyers and further cooled prices in an already weak market leading to drops of 15 to 20 per cent in sale prices. One seller in the Prince Street, Morn-
ington area is reported to have watched as the house previously tipped to sell for up to $1.1 million fetched about $140,000 less. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne said the effects of the proposed strategy, across all peninsula towns and villages, would be to reduce the number of houses being built, resulting in less “suburbia”. The shire is campaigning against the introduction of mandatory three-storey height limits (“Seeing red over house heights”, The News 26/3/18).
The shire’s manager strategic projects Rosa Zouzoulas said the proposed neighbourhood residential zone introduced four new schedules affecting neighbourhood character and minimum subdivision size. One established builder in Mornington, who asked not to be named to safeguard his business, said the shire’s push to retain the larger lot sizes was “killing the goose that’s laid the golden egg”. “So many people are being caught up in this,” he said. “They’ve been wait-
ing to sell their homes after many years and banking on strong demand and high prices and now that’s gone. “The [shire] has pulled the rug out from beneath the local housing market.” Tradies, building suppliers and apprentices on the peninsula could all be caught up in the downturn. Malcolm Parkinson, of Harcourts Real Estate, said property prices in pockets of Mornington affected by the subdivision proposals had fallen by up to $100,000. Continued Page 8
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