Armed Forces Act 1996

30 Greenwich Hospital. U.K.

(1) This section applies to the following land vested in the Secretary of State and held by him in trust for Her Majesty for the exclusive benefit of Greenwich Hospital, that is to say—

(a) the site known as the Royal Naval College, including the premises known as the Trident Hall and the Trafalgar Quarters;

(b) the premises known as the Dreadnought Seamen’s Hospital;

(c) the premises known as the Devonport Nurses’ Home.

(2) In the exercise of his functions under the Greenwich Hospital Acts 1865 to 1996 in relation to the land to which this section applies, the Secretary of State shall have regard to—

(a) the importance of preserving for the benefit of the nation the historic buildings and monuments on the land and of maintaining the architectural integrity of the Royal Naval College site;

(b) the desirability of securing reasonable public access to the land (and in particular to the historic buildings and monuments on the land); and

(c) the desirability of preventing any use of the land appearing to him to be out of keeping with its unique character and history.

(3) It shall be lawful for the Secretary of State to grant a lease of any of the land to which this section applies, with its appurtenances, to any person appearing to him to be suitable for a term not exceeding 150 years.

(4) Where any land to which this section applies is the subject of a lease granted under subsection (3), no sub-lease of any of the land may be granted, and no interest in the land may be assigned, except in accordance with subsection (5).

(5) Where any land to which this section applies is the subject of a lease granted under subsection (3), the Secretary of State may, for the purpose of enabling all or any of the land (with its appurtenances) to be occupied by a person appearing to him to be suitable—

(a) authorise the lessee to grant a sub-lease, or to assign the lease, to that person; or

(b) authorise a person to whom the lease has been assigned under this subsection to grant a sub-lease, or to assign the lease, to that person.

(6) Any lease or sub-lease under this section shall be granted, at a rent or rent-free, on such terms (including terms as to the granting of licences to occupy or otherwise use all or any of the land) as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(7) Part II of the M1 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (security of tenure for business tenants) shall not apply to any lease or sub-lease granted under this section.

(8) It shall be lawful for the Secretary of State to permit any of the land to which this section applies which is not the subject of a lease under subsection (3), with its appurtenances, to be occupied and used for the purposes of any government department or for any other purpose, at a rent or rent-free, and on such terms as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(9) Any proceeds of, or income arising from, a lease granted by the Secretary of State under this section shall be held and applied for the benefit of Greenwich Hospital in accordance with the Greenwich Hospital Acts 1865 to 1996.

(10) Section 7 of the M2 Greenwich Hospital Act 1869 shall cease to have effect.

(11) Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing any of the land to which this section applies being used for any of the purposes of Greenwich Hospital.

(12) This section and the Greenwich Hospital Acts 1865 to 1990 may be cited together as the Greenwich Hospital Acts 1865 to 1996.

Marginal Citations

M1 1954 c. 56.

M2 1869 c. 44.