SALE OF BEACH COTTAGE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25178, 8 May 1947, Page 3

SALE OF BEACH COTTAGE

COMMITTEE REFUSES CONSENT AGGREGATION CLAUSE HELD TO APPLY Aggregation was the ground on which the Christchurch Urban Land Sales Committee yesterday refused permission of the sale of a three-roomed cottage at New Brighton by the executors of the will of Isabella Scott (Mr G. P. Purnell) to Mabel Louise Storey (Mr J. N. Macfarlane). Property in which the purchaser had interests was listed as follows:—house it 144 Leinster road, of a capital value 6f £1915; half interest in a farm at Prebbleton, capital value £335; Storey’s Hotel, capital value £13,495; workshops and shed in Hereford street, capital value £1175; house in Hereford street, capital value £2630. It was stated that the seaside cottage (at 180 Esplanade, New Brightoii, sale price £450), was required for health reasons. The Crown representative (Mr D. G. Ward) said that the case was one in which the Crown raised the question of aggregation. The view was that it might not be in the public interest for a person who already had a home and other properties, to have this seaside cottage when it was possible that former servicemen or others might have the chance of occupying it. There was a tenant living in it at present, he said. If the decision went against the purchaser on the ground of aggregation, there should be some stipulation that the tenant buy the cottage, suggested Mr Purnell. The chairman (Mr L. B. Freeman): The committee can’t do that—it is up to the tenant. Purchaser’s Other Properties Mr Macfarlane said the property at Leinster road was in his client’s name, and she and her husband lived there. She had only a half interest in the farm at Prebbleton, the Crown valuation for which was only £335. Her husband virtually owned Storey’s Hotel. The workshops and shed were let to a tenant who made furniture. The house in Hereford street had belonged to Storey’s father, and had been made into two flats. The seaside cottage was wanted for holidays, and the purchaser was willing to let the place to a returned servicemen for other times during the year. Mr Macfarlane apologised for the absence of the purchaser on the ground that her husband was ill. Mr B. J. Drake, who appeared to watch the interests of the tenant, said that his client was a pastrycook who had a business at New Brighton. She had made serious endeavours to obtain alternative accommodation, but was now .willing to buy the property. "It is very difficult for anybody to get a building permit to erect a seaside cottage, and therefore by inference it should be just as hard to buy a house there,” he said.