What’s it all about, Sammy?

MY view Wednesday 18 January said in relation to a Narre Warren North housing and commercial development: “No doubt some opposition to the new facility came from people with vested interests and some support for the facility also came from vested interest. There is nothing wrong with that because we all have to battle for our slice of what is on offer or to save what we have.”
However, there is usually a limit to just how far some people take the battle while others go on forever with no limit to how much pressure they place on ‘friends’ in high places.
I rarely use developer’s names out of fairness because most developments are presented under company names.
However, Sam Mondous is well enough known to many people as a developer and particularly well known to the council.
He is one person who takes the battle to the absolute and sometimes I have wondered why, especially when he has taken a particular plan to the council time and again, or when he has made life difficult for the council.
He wants to build a 6000 square metre shopping centre at the northwest corner of Clyde and Greaves roads, Berwick, behind the Berwick Springs Hotel and appears not about to give up.
The council and government last year rejected the idea, but it was brought back to the council for review and again refused.
The big question is why did the council, through Edrington Ward councillor Mick Morland, reopen this application when it appeared dead and buried?
Why not get on with using the land in accordance with its zoning?
The developer could long ago have made a handsome profit from the land by using it for the purpose it was allocated in the council’s strategy plan.
So why get into such a long losing fight with the council and the State Government when a supermarket is not really needed on the site, anyway?
We already have a large supermarket on the opposite intersection, two goodsized supermarkets in Berwick Village, plans for a not needed commercial centre on the Berwick campus of Monash University, and extensive supermarket facilities at Fountain Gate.
What’s it all about?