Linked here are a number of documents at the Land Registry for NGL637463 which relate to the sale and ownership of the land originally owned by Camden – Dalby Street and a Travellers' Site:
Conditional Sale Agreement dated 19.4.05 between Camden and TRAC Properties Ltd
Supplemental Sale Agreement dated 6.7.07 between Camden and TRAC Properties Ltd
In general, the rights and obligations of TRAC Properties were passed on to its subsidiary Cornwall Overseas Developments Ltd (registered in the British Virgin Islands). Recorded in the Land Registry here was
4.4.06 Sale Agreement TRAC to Cornwall and
5.9.08 TR1 Transfer of Land TRAC to Cornwall
Cornwall was then sold to Findon Urban Lofts Ltd on 31.3.2007 (see companies register for Trac and Findon and, perhaps the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) records).
These documents were filed at the Land Registry
5.9.08 TP1 Transfer to Land from Camden to TRAC and
On 5.9.2008 Grant of Rights Cornwall to Camden
On 5.9.2008 TR1 Transfer of land TRAC to Cornwell
On 30.1.09 a Land Registry extract shown here includes a Plan showing the 6 elements of the land concerned – see “6 elements of the land per Land Registry” below .
A document of some interest shown here, is one tabled at the Stopping Up enquiry held in 2008, It explained the Council's role as landowner. It made no mention of the fact that discussions had assumed the developer was correct in saying it assumed it would be able to persuade Network Rail to sell or otherwise permit it property (Wilkin St Mews) to be the source of access to the Talacre Sports Centre. It stressed that the enquiry involved only the traffic section of the Council.
Details from the Land Registry for the property which is numbered NGL637463 were extracted on the dates shown below where those that are linked are shown in red font -
20th December 2015. Provides details as at 20.12.2015
23rd April 2021. Provides details as at 23.2.2021
21st January 2022. Provides details as at 2.3.2021
They show Hazlewood Properties Ltd, a BVI company in 2013 and 2014 leasing 30 and 6 private flats for 125 and 999 years respectively. The medical Centre for 20 years from 5.10.14. The 19 "Affordable flats" for 125 years and an electricity sub-station for 99 years.
On 21.1.2022 HMLR showed for NGL637463 the situation as at 2.3.2021 implying that there was a delay of some 11 months which could mean a dispute of some sort. The information showed on HMLR at 2.3.2021 was almost identical to that shown at 22.6.20
Originally, Camden refused to release details to us of the sale of their land to the developer on the grounds of “commercial confidentiality”. It was then found that the information sought was filed at HM Land Registry. Camden then confirmed that what was on the Land Registry was correct. See FoI requests answered, nos 3 to 10 here. A table no longer available here shows what we learnt from those documents and other information to provide a chronological history of the Land element of the development etc. Because the Council’s decisions to sell were taken when the Planning decision was for a development which was significantly different, a break in the table showed which decisions etc were made before and which after the change.
The land area that relates to this development is roughly as follows:
1. The “Travellers Site” previously owned by Camden. In 1994, planning approval had been given for three pitches for ten years until 2.2.2004 when its use for that purpose would be "discontinued and determined". Discussions for Camden to sell appear to have started in 2002. Relocation of the three families living there involved TRAC Properties Ltd and probably Community Housing Association (now One Housing Group). Some details of the arrangements made can be found in the appendices to the Conditional Land Sale agreement of 19.4.05
2. Dalby Street – now often referred to as “Old Dalby St” since it no longer exists due to the flats sitting on top of it. It was also part of the Conditional Sale agreement of 19.4.05 for land sold by Camden to TRAC
3. 52 Prince of Wales Road, a derelict house next to the bridge on Prince of Wales Road which TRAC had purchased before or conditional upon the planning permissions.
4. Part of what is now the turning circle and the disabled parking area which is still owned by Camden but which is governed by the planning consents
5. The whole of Wilkin Street Mews owned then as now by Network Rail was, under the “One Way” planning permission, to become available to the public and constitute a one way route from Prince of Wales Road to the Talacre Sports Centre and then on to Wilkin Street. Although not part of the scheme that has been built, it was an important element of the scheme when the price and contractual terms were agreed for the sale of the Travellers Site and Dalby St. That price was never significantly changed when the later application was submitted and consented in spite of it being potentially extremely expensive (to the developer) and valuable (to the public) and it is no longer being required.
6. 52a Prince of Wales Road which is thought to be an area previously leased by a car workshop from Network Rail, between 52 Prince of Wales Road and the Travellers Site. Part or all remains with Network Rail and leased to the Camden Town brewery. Under the "One-Way" scheme, it would all have been part of the area of the scheme including providing some disabled parking.
This Land Registry extract at 30.1.2009 includes a Plan showing the 6 elements of the land concerned
Broadly speaking, they are:
6. The property that was 52 Prince of Wales Road. 52 Prince of Wales Road was a derelict two story Victorian dwelling house and a rear lock up garage, vacant since about 1987. It had been purchased, probably from the British Rail Board, for £102,000 in 1989. It was later acquired by TRAC Properties Ltd. TRAC sold it to its subsidiary, Cornwall Overseas Developments Ltd (a company registered in the British Virgin Islands)
Cornwall Overseas Developments was sold by TRAC to Findon Urban Lofts Ltd) on 17th August 2006.
This property and the planning permission relating to it and to the other elements of the overall development scheme, is likely to have been the only asset of Cornwall at the time of the sale.
At about 30th January 2009, this property was combined with the other 5 elements of the overall site, to become registered within NGL637463.
3. The "Travellers Site". Its Land Registry number used to be NGL224283.
In 1994, planning approval for a travellers site with three pitches was given for 10 years ie until 2nd February 2004 when its use for that purpose would be "discontinued and determined".
Discussions to sell the travellers site and Dalby Street started in mid 2002.
On 14th January 2004, Camden's Executive Committee resolved
"That the property be declared surplus to requirements and the sale of the Council's freehold interest be approved in principle at the open market value, subject to:
(a) The Head of Property Services being satisfied that the final terms represent the open market value
(b) The Director of Housing being satisfied with the final details of the affordable housing provision, including Housing Corporation grant, where appropriate
(c) These details be approved by the Executive before a final decision is taken
(d) The Director of Leisure and Community Services being satisfied with the final detail of the scheme, insofar as it impacts upon the adjoining Talacre Sports Centre and Talacre Open Space and
(e) Receipt of detailed planning consent
(f) The agreements the developer enters into with the travellers and Community Housing Association proceed and
(g) Receipt of consent from ODPM to the sale as necessary."
The report to this meeting stated that there were three separate traveller's pitches. Provisional agreement had been reached with all the travellers for them to vacate their pitches. One, if provided suitable alternative housing from either Community Housing Association (now part of One Housing Group) or the Council. The developer had agreed to purchase or fund the purchase of alternative accommodation for the remaining two families outside the borough. The London Gypsy and Traveller Unit was said to have agreed but at the later meeting of the Executive on 7th April 2004 this was called into question. Camden’s Temporary Housing Section stated that there was no outstanding demand in Camden for travellers pitches.
On 19th April 2005, Camden and TRAC Properties "exchanged a binding conditional agreement for the sale of the travellers site and the subsoil to Dalby Street roadway, pathway and part forecourt areas". In the words of Camden's Property Review Manager in his note to the Public Inquiry Inspector in January 2008 "on the basis that it was at the developer's sole risk to put together a viable development proposal and achieve the necessary planning and highway approval."
On 5th September 2008, the Land Registry showed NGL900636, covering the Travellers Site and Dalby Street as having been sold by TRAC to Cornwall Overseas Developments for £325,500. Further inquiries showed that Camden sold this land to TRAC on the same day for the same amount ie £325,500.
2 and 5. Dalby Street and part of the forecourt of the Sports Centre. The ownership situation has largely been covered under the Travellers Site above. Included in this piece of land is the footway on Prince of Wales Road which is overhung by the top six stories of the building. The south east area is where New Dalby Street has been built out to enable vehicles to have better visibility. One side of this build out is two metres from the bridge.
1 and 4. ? We have no information about these two small parcels of land