Section 205: Meaning of qualifying interest in land
782.This section defines “qualifying interest in land” (one of the qualifying investments listed in section 204). It is based on section 587B(9A) to (9E) of ICTA.
783.Subsections (2) and (3) clarify the position where a company with a beneficial interest in a freehold or leasehold interest in land in the United Kingdom gives that beneficial interest to a charity along with any easement, servitude or right that benefits the land. For example, company A’s land may only be accessible by way of an easement over B’s land. If company A gives the charity both the land and the right over B’s land, the disposal of the right is treated as a separate disposal.
784.Under subsection (4), if a company with a freehold or leasehold interest carves out of that interest a lease for the benefit of the charity, the retention of the freehold or leasehold reversion does not prevent the disposal from being “of the whole beneficial interest”.
785.Under subsection (5), an agreement to acquire a freehold, or an agreement for a lease, is not a qualifying interest in land. So disposing of such an agreement would not constitute a disposal of a qualifying investment.
