Purchasing a plot of land through the land bank scheme! |27 July 2020

Staff calling out names of applicants during the Dame Le Roi allocation

From January till July 20, 2020, the Ministry of Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport has allocated 52 plots of land under the land bank projects to qualified applicants following the 2017 registration exercise under the Land Point system.

In this … the Ministry of Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport brings you the six steps to purchase a plot of land through the land bank scheme.

STEP #1 – Making a land application (First time applicant)

• Collect a land application form at the customer service centre, Independence House Ground Floor OR request one via email: ksauzier@mluh.gov.sc / jdelcy@mluh.gov.sc
• Forms are also available at MHILT inner islands office Praslin and at district administration offices.

STEP #2 – Registration under the Land Point System

• Once a land application reaches 3 years – an automatic email is sent to applicants notifying them of the maturity of their application.
• Letters are also sent to respective applicants informing them of the maturity status of their land application
• It is also a client’s responsibility to monitor the status of their application. Upon maturity of the application an applicant can also start the necessary procedures for registration under the land point system before receiving the automatic email/letter.
• Once registration is open for applicants a checklist form is required to be completed and submitted by the applicant attached with necessary documents.
• Checklist forms are available at the customer service centre, Independence House, Ground Floor
• OR request one via email: ksauzier@mluh.gov.sc / jdelcy@mluh.gov.sc
• Checklist forms are also available at MHILT inner islands office Praslin and at district administration offices.
• Note that a Housing application reaching 3 years can also be accepted for registration.

STEP #3 – Processing 

• Once the applicant submits the checklist form and necessary documents the same is vetted and signed by a customer service officer.
•  If all the necessary documents are in order it is accepted for registration. 
• The applicant then receives an acknowledgment letter following the submission.
• Once the application is registered it is subject to further due diligence within a tentative period of 3-4 weeks 
• Upon completion of the due diligence process points of the applicant is automatically calculated through the digital system called the Land Point System (LPS) 
• The land allocation committee vets the application for final approval and issues a letter.

STEP #4 – Qualified applicant

• Once an applicant is qualified under the Land Point System he/she is notified of this status via letter, which states his/her score under the Land Point System and remaining processes.

 STEP #5 – Allocation procedures 

• Once land bank projects are completed and ready for allocation qualified applicants are called in for the lot drawing.
• One the day of allocation, ALL applicants under the particular land bank project are required to be present for the lot drawing. (Applicants who are not available on the date of the allocation procedures are required to notify the lands department formally with valid reasons in advance. The applicant is required to send the ID of the person who will be representing him/her for the allocation procedures.) 
• The lot drawing is done in a systematic and transparent manner.
• Once all applicants present have picked a plot of land they are divided into groups for survey technicians to bring them to view their respective plots.
• All applicants are shown their respective beacons for the plot of land and the applicants are required to sign surveyor’s beacon certificate document as proof they have seen the beacons to their plot.

Disclaimer: The methodology of the allocation procedures is subject to change reflecting current situations. For example, following the COVID-19 pandemic the methodology of the allocation procedures incorporated the new guidelines by the department of health.

STEP #6 – Purchasing your plot of land per land bank project

• Following the allocation procedures, the applicants receive the official offer agreement from the Ministry of Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport.
• After receipt of the offer, the applicant has 14 days to reply to the lands department on how they will settle payment for the land.
• Available options are through bank loan or bank transfer/savings
• If the applicant will be paying through a bank loan he/she has two (2) months to settle the payment.
• If the applicant is paying through bank transfer, he/she has 14 days to settle payment.
• If an applicant rejects the offer for the plot of land, he/she is required to send a formal letter to the lands department explaining the reasons.
• Following the same, the Ministry of Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport considers how to proceed with the case.

  NOTES:

Cost

• A plot of land under the land bank project is sold at a subsidised rate by the government ranging from R39,000 to R150,000. Based on the actual market value of these plots they range from R300,000.00 to R1,000,000.00. 

Plot size

• Plot size under various land bank projects varies depending on the location and topography of the land based on existing policy.
• High density areas connected with centralised sewage system = between 180 to 300 square metres (Eg: Roche Caïman, Ile Soleil, Ile Persévérance)
• High density with no centralised sewage system = minimum 400 square metres
• Medium density areas = minimum 600 square metres
• Low density areas = minimum 1200 square metres

Waiting Time

• The waiting time for a particular land bank to be completed is difficult to say as there can be various internal and external causes of delay.
• The land bank project committee sets various timelines projecting completion dates for various land bank projects. This is based on the progress of the different stages included in the scope of work for the respective projects.
• The committee therefore regularly updates the timeline to reflect the current progress for respective land bank projects.

Allocations during 2020

•  From January till July 20, 2020 the following land bank projects have been allocated to qualified applicants following the 2017 registration exercise under the Land Point system.

Contributed by the lands department within the Ministry of Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport