@ pboyles, anley & others
It seems that in your noble pursuit to expose rogue organisations your subjectivity has over-ridden the obligation you have to your post-readers. Surely you agree with the requirement to do proper research on the companies you hastily tar with the same brush, wilfully quoting inaccuracies and insulting any individual who dares question your basis, which is a travesty no different to the scams you try to expose. One specific example is that of SJ Capital, which you have accused of being a “land-banking” scam. I am the MD of SJ Capital (SA) and wish to repudiate several of the points you have made about our organisation. Our detailed response can be found at
SJ Capital Group - Strategic Land Investment
Good morning Gents. I have recently come across this forum and thread and have a question or two to pose to Waynesa and SJ Capital. In doing so I am not in any way taking the posts here from both sides as being the truth, but only posing the questions following on from my own research and in order to try and ascertain what is indeed the truth behind the company and it's model.
1. Having downloaded a copy of the title deeds for the Houghton Regis Site and a list of covenants and clauses attached, it is apparent that the property is owned by a company called Southern & Regional Developments Ltd. (incorporated in Gibraltar) of 124 Irish Town,Gibraltar and care of Vencap Investments Ltd, 33 Cavendish Square,London W1G OPW
Is this correct?
2. Further searches reveal that Vencap was the previous trading name of what is now Landhold Capital Ltd.
Can we make an assumption this is also correct?
3. Can you confirm the owners of Southern & Regional Developments Ltd.
4. On the title deeds to the site Title No. BD265964 and BD264824 and the associated plans and clawback clauses contained therein, it appears that the site under Southern & Regionals ownership only extends to a little over 3 acres and not the entire site of some 4.2 acres as being promoted within your sales material and on your web site.
Can you explain this discrepancy?
5. Also within the Title Deeds and associated documents and filed under BD100253,it is apparent that the previous owners of the land have a number of clauses relating to the land in particular a right of pre-emption and an option in their favour contained in a Clawback Deed. This was dated on 25th July 2008 . Now forgive my ignorance, but does this clawback deed give the previous owners the right to buy back the land they have sold to Southern & Regional at a future date?
6. If the previous owners do have the right to buy back the land, can you confirm that they have agreed with you that you can dispose of the land ,under Southern & Regionals ownership , in the manner in which you are doing/attempted to do. ie: sub-division ?
7. Restriction No.3 under the Title Absolute 19.08.08, confirms that no disposition of the registered estate by the proprietor of the registered estate is to be registered without a certificate signed by the previous owners or their conveyancer, and that the provisions of clause 4 of the Clawback deed has been complied with.
Can you confirm that you have a certificate signed by the previous owners allowing the disposition of the land in the manner in which you are doing?
8. In the abscence of a signed certificate and agreement with the previous owners can you confirm how you could sell individual plots to buyers and guarantee them FULL FREEHOLD TITLE as per your sales material? Could you also explain how FULL FREEHOLD TITLE could in any way be granted to your buyers when in fact a buy back clause is in place in favour of the previous owners.?
9. To touch upon the site specifics and layout and having trawled the Central Bedfordshire website as well as Ordnance maps it is apparent that a large electric pylon traverses a large part of the site under Southern and Regionals ownership. This appears to be midway between the plots depicted in your sales leaflets, and the retained section of the land and house to the front of the property. As was touched upon by a previous poster to this thread, no provision within your proposals has been made for any affordable housing ( or if it has it has not been made clear) , and I wonder if you could confirm where you propose to site this type of housing if indeed your plans in their current form actually ever come to fruition.?
10. Can you confirm if your proposed plans have been discussed with Central Bedfordshire Council, and if so, when was the last time your Strategic Planning Director Brian Smith had direct contact with the council.?
11. A public enquiry is being held on Tuesday 7th Febuary 2012 in to the proposed Dunstable bypass, can you confirm the implications for the site if indeed the planning inspectorate is minded to refuse the bypass?
Thankyou for your time in pondering my questions, and I do hope that answers would be forthcoming from your company in order to balance out the negativity surrounding your company and land banking in general. I am of the opinion that this particular site does have very good development potential, however, I believe that the way in which your company appears to be trying to package it up and circumvent the long drawn out process is indeed detrimental to the overall chance of a planning gain.
