TREASURY AND RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
PROPERTY HOLDINGS
Property Transaction for Ministerial Decision - Minister for Treasury and Resources
Land adjacent to Mont du Boulevard, St Aubin, St. Brelade -
Acquisition by the Public
NS 427/1 & 3
Purpose
To ask the Minister to approve a deed whereby the Public acquires a small strip of land from the Parish of St. Brelade at nil consideration in exchange for the Parish being granted access to maintain and repair an adjacent wall in its ownership.
Background
On 21st December 2006 Ministerial approval was granted for the sale of an area of land to the Channel Island Yacht Club (Jersey) Limited for a sum of £93,000 with each party to pay the respective legal and surveyors’ fees.(MD-PH-2006-0100 refers)
In the normal manner the Law Officers’ Department was accordingly requested to draft a suitable contract of sale to transfer the land concerned. In the course of preparing the conveyancing documentation it became necessary to clarify ownership of a low level boundary wall that appeared to support the adjacent highway known as Mont du Boulevard.
It was subsequently established that the most likely scenario regarding ownership was that the wall and therefore the adjacent dependent relief were the responsibility of the Parish. Indeed from the advice of the Law Officers’ Department it would appear the Public is unable to demonstrate conclusive title to the strip of land concerned. As such, in the absence of any contractual evidence it is assumed the land adjacent to the supporting wall belongs to the Parish with a dependent relief or offset of 1’ 4½” along its length.
This effectively prevents the Public from selling the area stipulated in the Ministerial Decision referred to above ; an area of 39 sq.ft being constituted by the relief in the ownership of the Parish of St. Brelade.
Current Proposal
Accordingly in order to convey the full extent of the area of land concerned (as identified in the earlier ministerial decision) it is proposed the Parish dispose of its interest in the relief adjacent to Mont du Boulevard and in exchange be granted an access right over land concerned to maintain the adjacent granite wall. This will enable the Public to sell up to the wall and for the Parish to gain easier access for maintenance than otherwise would be provided by the relief or offset of standard dimension. Parish Assembly approval to this transaction was obtained on 22 May 2007.
In the circumstances it has been agreed that any legal fees incurred by the Parish of St. Brelade in connection with this matter will be met by the Channel Islands Yacht Club (Jersey) Limited, which shall then acquire the entire area of land as initially envisaged and as detailed in the earlier Ministerial Approval mentioned above.
Recommendation
It is recommended that Public acquire the strip of land from the Parish of St. Brelade, forming a relief adjacent to the wall concerned in exchange for the grant of suitable rights to maintain and repair the wall.
Written By: Neil Sproston
Signature …………………………
Authorised By: Eric le Ruez
Signature ………………………… Date 01 June 2007