In
1986 Ocean Village opened as a deep marina to accommodate 375 yachts / motor
boats. This development included the Harbour
Lights cinema and a new home for the Royal Southampton Yacht Club.
In
the early 1990’s Amplivine started the development of Pacific Close to create
99 properties (72 apartments in 4 blocks and 27 houses)
During
the development Amplevine was purchased by Linden Homes and the development
completed around 1997.
All
the properties were sold Leasehold with the Houses having 999year and the Apartments
125 year leases dated from the Ocean Village development start of December 1985.
Linden
Homes appointed F&S Property Management to manage the estate on a day-to-day
basis and collect ground rental where applicable plus maintenance charges which
would include a charge from MDL who are the overall owner of Ocean Village.
As
residents started to take possession and live in Pacific Close some problem
areas were identified such as parking of vehicles not associated with the
residents and use of the Jetty area for fishing.
It
was therefore suggested to form a residents association with the aim to find
solutions to these problems and coordinate the residents concerns to the Pacific
Close Landlord, Linden Homes.
The
Pacific Close residents association (PCRA) was formed and found Linden Homes
were really not interested in the day-to-day problems of the estate.
However,
some progress was made with F&S to appoint a Parking Control company (at
this time the companies could clamp offending vehicles) also signs were placed
to advise Fishing from this estate was
not permitted.
In
addition the PCRA started to look at a greening campaign to improve the general
atmosphere of the estate.
In
2010 Linden Homes announced their intention to sell the ownership of the estate
on the open market.
This
was obviously a major event as a new owner could see the estate as a good
investment and when purchased management and maintenance charges would likely be
inflated. In addition the new owner
could offer the apartment owners a lease extension but at the going rate plus.
The
PCRA therefore convened a meeting to urge owners to invest to buy the Head
Lease from Linden Homes.
It
was obviously a key decision especially for owners of apartments as once the
Head Lease was purchased from Linden Homes members of the newly formed company
(Pacific Close Estates) could in turn offer lease extensions to the founder
members at a base cost rate, also the owners / members could take control of
the estate.
The
company Pacific Close Estate (PCEL) was formed and proceeded to recruit members
whereby gaining the funds by contribution of monies to purchase the Head Lease
from Linden Homes.
PCEL
elected to retain F&S Property Management to administer the day to day
running of the estate but now start to address some key problems.
Three
main items to be addressed first was to offer lease extensions to those
apartment owners who contributed and signed up to the PCEL.
Second
was Parking Control as the original company had ceased to trade due to the withdrawal
of the right to clamp vehicles.
Third
was some repair work to the Jetty, which was required to address some
deterioration of the structure and ensure the longer-term cost of repair was
controlled.
The
PCEL board is made up of Pacific Close property owners with the Estate
condition and appearance as their priority.
For
Day-to-Day issues F&S Property Management should be contacted and the PCRA
are in place to represent the owners.
