Information for properties collectively known as fringe properties
The Bothy, East Lodge, West Lodge, 1-6 The Malthouse, The Old Dairy, 4 Old House Courtyard, Southover Cottage, Southover Old House, 10, 10a, 11, 11a Southover High Street, Southover Manor House (apartments 1-9)..
The directors of Sandycombe Properties have put together this document following a meeting held in 2017 with fringe property owners when it became apparent that there was a need for further information and clarification. Please note that currently our managing agent is Hunters Property Management. Contact details are included in our newsletter, which is distributed to all residents. The directors of the estate are volunteers and work hard to manage the delightful, private areas that we all share in accordance with deeds and covenants as well as the Memorandum & Articles of Association for Sandycombe Properties. The term ‘fringe properties’ was adopted in the past because of the location of properties in relation to the estate.
Sandycombe Properties Limited owns and manages all the amenity areas of the private estate that was built in the grounds of Southover Manor, when the independent girls’ school closed and was sold for development in 1985. The highway authority, East Sussex County Council, has adopted both Cluny Street and the footpath between the Lodges and Cluny Street. There are no other public footpaths within the estate and all other access is over land owned by Sandycombe Properties Limited. A plan of the estate is available for inspection on request.
Barratt Southeast acquired the whole of Southover Manor in 1988. They demolished some of the existing buildings on the site and sold the remainder – The Malthouse, Southover Manor House, The Coach House, The Lodges and The Bothy – to another developer. This sale included two provisos:
(1) each property would be provided with a garage
(2) covenants were imposed against the titles of the transferred properties and registered at HM Land Registry. These are further described below.
Southover Manor House was converted into nine apartments, with the freehold owned by Southover Manor Limited. The other properties were sold freehold.
The remainder of the site was developed by Barratt’s to provide a total of 70 freehold dwellings including bungalows, terraced and detached houses. The freehold of the amenity areas was finally transferred on the 29th of May 1997.
Ownership & Duties of Sandycombe Properties Ltd.
Volunteers (Company Directors) organise management of the estate, including the employment of contractors. The estate management extends to the open grassed areas, the paved footpaths which cross them (except as described below), as well as all the paved entrances and areas around the garages and the parking spaces. We also manage the extensive strip of land bordering the railway line.
Each of the owners of the properties erected by Barratt’s is required to hold one share in Sandycombe Properties Limited. This is a non-profit making company, financed by an annual service charge levied on its shareholders and supported by contributions from properties with access to the amenity areas, that is, fringe properties. It has been agreed, historically, that fringe properties pay a reduced service charge on the same regular basis as shareholders. Should there need to be any increase to the service charge, from 2018 it will be at the same percentage as that agreed for shareholders.
Fringe properties have an easement giving access to the amenity areas to the same extent afforded to Sandycombe shareholders. The one exception is that the parking of cars within the parking bays in the parking areas is not permitted. There are no public rights of way within the estate (except as set out above) and everyone exercising their rights in using the amenity areas – whether they live in the Barratt development or the other properties described above – is expected to honour their side of the arrangement.
In managing the common areas of the estate, the Directors of Sandycombe Properties Limited adopt a low-key approach wherever possible. However, there are a few guidelines:
1. Children of primary school age are welcome to play on the grassed areas. However, these areas are not and never have been designated children’s playgrounds. A meeting was held on 4 March 2000, open to all residents, to discuss the issue of ball games being played on these areas. The Directors subsequently considered the various views and constructive suggestions were made. They decided that ball games are not permitted on the grassed areas, since they have caused damage to shrubs, trees and the property of other residents.
2. Similarly, ball games are not permitted in the garage forecourt areas. All parents are asked to note that the Directors do not consider the garage forecourts to be a safe play area for children because of the number of vehicles using them.
3. There is no right to park vehicles on the garage forecourts or their approaches, other than for gaining access to a garage or temporarily for loading or unloading. Note, as indicated above, that the parking bays were designated for shareholders only. Shareholders have been issued one resident and one visitor permit.
4. The wooded area along the railway line should not be used as a dumping ground for garden or other rubbish.
The Directors carry out regular inspections around the estate but any resident who notices anything out of the ordinary is asked to contact our managing agent, Hunters – 01273 089000
The information given above is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, the Directors of Sandycombe Properties Limited cannot accept liability for any inaccuracies and any resident requiring information concerning their own property or Southover Manor generally is strongly advised to consult their legal advisor. This leaflet is intended to be privately distributed to fringe property owners and may not be copied or reproduced in any way without the written agreement of the Directors of Sandycombe Properties Limited.
Produced by the Directors of Sandycombe Properties Ltd.
Registered in England and Wales No 2190633
Sandycombe Lewes 