Dunas Beach Resort Property
Sal, West Coast, Algodoeiro Bay near Vila Verde
This Dunas Beach development is being established by Robert Jarret
a financial adviser who moved from Derby to Monaco. It is on a thin
strip of land running in from the West Coast. It is just to the
South of Cotton Bay resort, roughy in the middle of the long curving
Algodoeiro Bay and runs from the beach back to the Santa Maria-Espargos
Highway. The developing company for Dunas Beach is now registered
in Gibraltar and known as The Resort Company and it has a sales
base in Derby. The Dunas Beach land is owned by Sociedad Onnipessoal
based in Praia, which bought it only in June 2008. .
The beach is called Algodoeiro rather than Dunas and the property
has a relatively narrow frontage onto the beach. This has small-scale
dunes and is a fine beach. Following the usual Cape Verde pattern,
there will also be a small hotel. The architect has designed properties
in Spain around Malaga such int Duquesa and Estepona, which featured
well laid out open grassland and trees. That will be more difficult
to replicate here and Dunas Beach resort is his first Cape Verde
property.
Building work commenced at end 2009
The Dunas Beach plot is a long thin strip running in from the West
Coast towards the Highway. It is seperated from Tortuga Beach ,
by another development. It offers up to 400 dwellings eventually
with studios at £60,000, two bedroom apartments at £105,000,
three bedroom at £135,000 and villas at £220,000. The
villas in the front row promise sea views and individual swimming
pools within the price.
The Dunas Beach Resort is on land owned by Sociedade Onipessoal
Lda. It is registered in Praia with a NIF number 253147778. It acquired
land from Cabocan with an approximate area of 8 hectares. It has
been approved by Cabo Verde Investimentos. The Dunas Beach land
purchase was only completed in April 2008, six months after Cabo
Verde Investimentos gave outline approva for a developentl. Detailed
planning permission took further time and contracts to build were
signed in June 2008. The land was for sale at €5m and apparently
the sales company intended to fund this by collecting large deposits
from prospective purchasers. Hence the Dunas beach development was
done the wrong way about.
The initial ground breaking ceremony was undertaken in November
2009 by the developer Robert Jarret and a Minister from Santiago,
using symbolic golden shovels.
The hotel plans to open in 2011 with whole resort launched same
time. Completions are to be in 7 phases starting with front row
villas. The unfinished phases will be fenced off from the finished
ones to conceal building work but the pools will be finished last.
G from Birmingham is an estate agent who went on a free property
inspection of Dunas Beach.
"We had a good time . The salesmen had good knowledge of the location
and the proposed developments. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and
would recommend it to anyone who is interested in investing. The
local people are great, we enjoyed some great food and a little
too much wine! We had time to enjoy what the island had to offer
and it was encouraging to see no sales pressure towards clients."
T from London has other concerns
"Just wondered whether anyone else has received their contract
for Dunas Beach and whether you have any concerns about this. I
am concerned about the fact that I have received both the pre-promissory
and the promissory contract at the same time. I'm expected to sign
both but the developer doesn't have a constucton licence yet and
doesn't even own the land! I've phoned the developer who says they
expect ownership to take place within 3-4 months. Obviously no searches
can be carried out before ownership happens and yet I'm expected
to sign the contract before then.
I'm also expected to pay my 50% deposit next week. Is it just
me who's concerned about this or am I worrying unecessarily? I'd
also like to point out that the same developer is building Tortuga
Beach so I assume the same kind of contract will be issued to these
purchasers because the payment structure/discount scheme is also
exactly the same. Please also be aware that when they tell you that
you have 12 weeks to pay your deposit, this is 12 weeks from the
date you sign your reservation form, not 12 weeks from signing the
contract. Consequently my deposit is due next week and I received
the contract 2 days ago!! "
M from Essex talked to a lawyer and had bad news
"We have just heard back form our solicitor and the news is not
good. The seller`s lawyers are not willing to make any changes to
the contracts. There is no time limit given and so the developer
could keep hold of our money for as long as it takes. The seller/developer
does not even own the land and they are not even prepared to make
a prediction as to when land ownership and the construction licence
will be issued. They could have our money indefinitely. With no
get out clause for us the buyer this is extemely risky. Do we? Don't
we?......you'll have to make your own minds up! If we 'don't' will
we lose our £4,000 deposit??"
C from London raises the land ownership question
"I have asked for copies of the land ownership documents and planning
permission as I gather from reading about other developments that
it seems to be a problem sometimes. Seems very good spec and nice
layout."
R from London feels misled about the requirements for the hotel
letting scheme.
" We have only recently been made aware that there would be an
extra €17,000 charge to upgrade to the hotels "excellence" package
in order that we can let apartments through the hotel. We are very,
very shocked and annoyed about this as at no point were we made
aware that we would need to spend this very large amount of money
on top of what we already have. We were infact told that the first
"quality" furniture package was all that was needed to have the
hotel let for us. We are in dispute about this whole situation.
I hope to contact others before I seek legal advice. "
