Tag Archives: management
Call for land reform in Scotland to be transparent and workable
Scottish Government proposals for land reform need to be coherent, clear and workable, according to the Law Society of Scotland. Submitting its response to the consultation on the future of land reform in Scotland, the society said that careful consideration should be given to ensure that pre-existing legislation it taken into account. While the Scottish Government has laid out proposals for a potential Land Reform Bill and the setting up of a Land Reform Commission, it is unclear at this stage what the remit or structure of such a Commission would be. ‘A new Scottish Land Reform Commission seems an appropriate way forward for progressing land reform in Scotland,’ said Paul Connolly, convener of the society’s property and land law committee. ‘We would suggest that if this proposal were to move forward, that there should be further engagement with stakeholders. Any such Commission must also ensure that it remains independent from executive influence and represents the interest of all stakeholders, such as agricultural tenants, crofters and charities,’ he added. The consultation also considers improving the transparency and accountability of land ownership in Scotland by limiting those who can own or take a long lease over land to legal entities registered in a European Union Member State. ‘We are concerned about this proposal. Restrictions such as these could be easily by-passed by non-EU companies setting up shell companies in the EU, for example a non-EU company could set up a UK registered company,’ said Connolly. ‘This would not necessarily fulfil the Scottish Government’s policy objectives of achieving greater transparency regarding the real land owner. It could also affect not only commercial land, but residential and agricultural land as well, thus having a potentially serious impact on business, and reducing investment,’ he explained. The consultation also proposes to impose further obligations on charities that own land, such as imposing a duty to consult with the local community before taking a decision on the management, use or transfer of land under their control. Stephen Phillips, convener of the society’s charity law committee, pointed out that there are already a number of regulatory obligations that are imposed on charities. ‘We see no reason why further obligations should be imposed on them,’ he added. ‘Under the proposals, a high street charity shop, for example, may be under an obligation to consult with the local community before it undertakes everyday repairs, such a roof repairs. This just seems wholly unnecessary and cumbersome in practice, and potentially expensive for charities without proportionate benefit to local communities,’ he concluded. Continue reading
Sharjah to allow expats to buy property for the first time
Foreigners are to be able to buy in Sharjah for the first time after the government passed a law enabling expats from anywhere in the world to invest in the real estate market. Leases of up to 100 years will be granted to overseas buyers provided they hold a United Arab Emirates residency visa, officials have confirmed One reason behind the decision is the huge demand for homes from people working in neighbouring Dubai. But there will be restrictions on locations with only property in new investment areas on the edge of the city centre being available. The first new development to offer the long leases will be Tilal City, a 25 million square feet development on Emirates Road close to the Al Dhaid Interchange which is being developed by Sharjah Asset Management and Eskan Real Estate Development. The project comprises 1,800 land plots. Officials said the new rules would create ‘new cluster cities’ outside central Sharjah which would reduce traffic and congestion in the main city centre. The move is also aimed at outlawing the number of disputes caused by foreigners attempting to get around the previous rules which prevented anyone other than GCC Arabs, and a few non-GCC Arabs and Asians with special permission, from owning real estate in the emirate. ‘There are over 220 nationalities here in Sharjah. But we think the biggest demand will come from Arab and Asian Muslims living here who want their families to live in a stable and safe environment,’ said Hamad Salem Al Mazrooa, director general of the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department. ‘The only restriction is that they must have a residence visa at the time of purchase. If for some reason after the purchase their residence visa expires, they are free to hold the property, lease or sell it as they wish,’ he explained. Officials are keen to prevent developers selling hundreds of off-plan apartments to speculators who would then flip them on at a higher price, something that contributed to the recent boom and bust in house prices in Dubai. ‘We want to avoid off-plan speculative flipping, as in the past in the UAE before the crisis where developers were marketing the project and didn’t finish building, took the money and left the country,’ Salem explained. The Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department is to open a small registration office at the Tilal City site where foreign investors could start to register their properties. Faisal Durrani, international research and business development manager at Cluttons, described it as an historic milestone for Sharjah. ‘Traditionally, international investors have focused their attention on Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the move will open up a new market, to investors residing in the UAE,’ he said. ‘The success of Tilal City is likely to determine whether a number of similar schemes are brought forward in Sharjah. However, based on the number of gated community feasibility studies that Cluttons has been commissioned to undertake, in close proximity to Sharjah International Airport, we expect to see similar developments launched… Continue reading
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights Lily B. Libo-on / 18 March 2014 Sharjah’s Roman style amphitheatre to serve as venue for international cultural and art events. The more than Dh140-million Sharjah Amphitheatre, a huge Roman-style theatre with state-of-the-art technology unprecedented in the Middle East, is nearing completion in time for the opening of the epic oratorio Clusters of Light on March 26. The opening of the amphitheatre will signal the emirate’s celebration of the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture of the Arab Region 2014. Sharjah has earned this new title as it continuously honours the emirate’s contributions in preserving, promoting and spreading the culture of Islam. The new technology which blends sound, lighting, and music in a spectacular fashion, with more than 400 animated lights, 120 sound speakers, and 21 projectors creating a unique effect, is built on Al Majaz Island project, which is the first of 24 heritage, tourism, cultural, and architectural projects of Sharjah this year. Estimated to cost more than Dh140 million, the project is an open-air semi-circular theatre spanning 7,238sqm that can accommodate up to 4,500 people. It features a vast viewing platform through which artists can ascend, and is equipped with a high-quality and accuracy-advanced audio system that has never before been used in the region. After the epic oratorio Clusters of Light, the amphitheatre will become Sharjah’s centerpiece of international cultural and art events to be hosted at its modern VIP conference rooms and galleries which are complemented with a number of shops, restaurants and green spaces. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Centre and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 Celebrations, said the Al Majaz Island project includes a Dh13-million bridge between the island and Khalid Lagoon Street. “The Al Majaz Amphitheatre is more than 90 per cent complete.” Upon its completion, Al Majaz Island is expected to become a prominent tourism site, an ideal venue for future artistic, cultural and tourism movements in Sharjah and in the UAE. “It will also contribute to securing infrastructure that promotes the global theatre movement, which will entrench the position of the UAE and Sharjah as a hub for international tourism. It will be a tourist destination that is culturally integrated,” said Shaikh Sultan. He also said that Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment and e-Commerce company, has been chosen as the venue management for the soon to be completed Al Majaz Island Theatre for a period of three years. Currently, the Al Majaz Island Theatre is one of the most ambitious and significant projects undertaken in Sharjah. It will also act as the hub for all of Sharjah’s numerous cultural activities aside from being the focal point for the celebrations of Sharjah’s 2014 Capital of Islamic Culture. “We knew from the off-set that the management of such an important venue would need the highest levels of experience and expertise,” he said. The Sharjah Amphitheatre will serve Sharjah residents as well as visitors to the Emirate and the UAE. It is expected to host the best quality cultural performances from the region and around the world. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
