11 December 2013 | Comments
The Property Division of the Environment and Natural Resources Directorate has recently started marketing three surplus Government properties, as part of SHG’s modernisation programme.
The properties being sold are:
- Wranghams House, near Sandy Bay
- Head O’ Wain Clinic
- Former Public Works Store building, Jamestown.
The properties are all quite different, ranging from a small single story building with conversion potential, to a large prime building in Jamestown with substantial development potential.
Wranghams House was offered on the market in 2011, but the preferred bidder failed to complete the sale.
The sale of the former Public Works Store, located on the west side of the Grand Parade in lower Jamestown, is the first substantial Government asset to be openly marketed in five years. It has the potential to transform the area and possibly set the tone for other regeneration in the area.
The current marketing is aimed to take advantage of the large number of Saints who come home for the Christmas break. Time will tell whether any will make a bid, but the hope is that returning Saints will see that things are changing.
The exercise may also encourage a more open market for houses on the Island to develop. The marketing is an effort by the Property Division to lead the way in creating a more open and transparent property market. As a matter of principle, all surplus Government properties should be openly marketed, firstly on Island, before, if necessary, international marketing. This marketing exercise is the first step in what will be a long process to establish a base going forward.
The use of open tendering in this case is hoped to help establish a pricing level, which is an important element to establishing an effective property market.
The properties are being advertised locally in the Sentinel and Independent newspapers, as well as on the St Helena Government (https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/property-division/) and Tourism websites.
Closing dates for offers have been set as follows:
Wranghams House – offers to be submitted by 5 February 2014
Head O’ Wain Clinic – offers to be submitted by 12 February 2014
Former Public Works Store – offers to be submitted by 26 February 2014.
Enquiries and requests for further information and viewing should be made to Crown Estates Assistant, Gina Henry, in Essex House, Jamestown on telephone 22270, or
by e-mail at gina-henry@enrd.gov.sh
SHG
10 December 2013
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