Super sign-off

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A GIANT supermarket complex has been given the green light to go ahead in Seville, but those opposed stormed out of the council offices in disgust, dubbing it a “Titanic”.
Yarra Ranges councillors held “diametrically opposite” views on the need for the development and were divided right in the middle, leaving the deciding vote to the mayor who was in favour.
Opposers poured out of the council chambers in disgust, saying “well, there goes Seville, I’m moving out”, “no one came to my business to ask me” and “do you understand what you’ve done to local families?”
Eight councillors debated the development for an hour and a half at the Tuesday 22 February council meeting in the absence of Cr Len Cox, who was required to leave the room as “pecuniary interests” were cited.
The debate followed the same line as previous discussions at the 27 July 2010 meeting, and the decision came amid a packed and verbal gallery offering up both support and condemnation for the development.
Voting was left to councillors Richard Higgins, Graham Warren, Chris Templer and Terry Avery supporting the independent panel review stating the development would not jeopardise the surrounding shops or impact on traffic.
Councillors Tim Heenan, Samantha Dunn, Jeanette McRae and Noel Cliff voted against the development, saying there were too many discrepancies, and a lack of local knowledge, in the panel report.
Seville resident Julian Riekert spoke on behalf of Save Our Seville against the proposal, and asked the councillors not to be over-influenced by the expert views, as “experts designed the Titanic and operated the Titanic…I would ask you instead to be guided by common sense”.
Mr Riekert said the group’s concerns remained around traffic and flooding problems, and the negative effect on local businesses.
“Why would putting money into the pocket of a national supermarket chain serve the interests of the residents of Seville? It simply wouldn’t,” he said.
Development spokesman Robert Harris told councillors, the supporting residents and panel recommendations gave strong confidence in favour of the development.
He agreed there could be small impacts on businesses, but said experience had shown it wasn’t lasting.
Cr Cox told the Mail afterwards he was disappointed that he couldn’t be there to discuss the matter and hinted the result could have been different had he been able to vote. Save Our Seville president Richard Couper said he was amazed at the “diametrically opposed views” of the councillors.
“How could four councillors speak so passionately and at length about the weaknesses in the panel’s recommendations, as opposed to the other four who virtually seemed to rely on the panel,” he said.
“Our last line of defence is to approach planning minister Matthew Guy and ensure he is aware there is big unrest in this matter.”