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Universities and College Estates Act 1925

15 & 16 Geo. 5 c. 24 · Enacted 9 April 1925 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 19 May 2025.

An Act to consolidate the Universities and College Estates Acts 1858 to 1898, and enactments amending those Acts.

[9th April 1925] I1C1C2C3

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act extended with modification by Universities and Colleges (Trusts) Act 1943 (c. 9), s. 2(3)

C2

Act extended by Highways Act 1980 (c. 66, SIF 59), s. 87(5)

C3

Act applied (E.W.) (1.11.1993) by 1993 c. 28, s. 61, Sch. 14 para.10 (with ss. 94(2), 95); S.I. 1993/2134, art. 5(a).

Commencement

I1

Act wholly in force at 1. 1. 1926 by s. 45(2) (now repealed)

Contents

  1. 1Universities and Colleges to which the Act applies.
  2. General power over land
  3. 1AGeneral power over land
  4. Sale and Exchange
  5. 2Powers of sale and exchange. Repealed
  6. 3Regulations respecting sales. Repealed
  7. 4Regulations respecting exchanges. Repealed
  8. 5Payment to Minister of money payable on sale or exchange. Repealed
  9. Leasing Powers
  10. 6Powers to lease for building or mining or ordinary purposes. Repealed
  11. 7Regulations respecting leases generally. Repealed
  12. 8Leasing powers for special objects. Repealed
  13. 9Regulations respecting building leases. Repealed
  14. 10Regulations respecting mining leases. Repealed
  15. 11Variation of building or mining lease according to circumstances of district. Repealed
  16. 12Application of mineral rents, &c. Repealed
  17. Surrenders and Regrants
  18. 13Surrenders and regrants. Repealed
  19. Miscellaneous Powers
  20. 14Power to grant water rights to statutory bodies. Repealed
  21. 15Power to grant land for public and charitable purposes. Repealed
  22. 16Dedication for streets, open spaces, &c. Repealed
  23. 17Power to compromise claims and release restrictions, &c. Repealed
  24. 18Power to vary leases and grants. Repealed
  25. 19Power to apportion rents. Repealed
  26. 20Provisions as to consideration. Repealed
  27. 21General power to effect any transaction under an order of the Minister. Repealed
  28. 22Separate dealing with surface and minerals, with or without wayleaves, &c. Repealed
  29. 23Power to grant options. Repealed
  30. 24Power to enter into contracts. Repealed
  31. 25Exercise of powers; limitation of provisions, &c. Repealed
  32. Investment or other application of Capital Money
  33. 26Modes of investment or application of capital money. Repealed
  34. 27Provisions as to money in court. Repealed
  35. 28Provision as to money payable into court or to trustees. Repealed
  36. 29Application of money paid for lease or reversion. Repealed
  37. Power of raising Money
  38. 30Power to raise money with consent of the Minister for improvements. Repealed
  39. 31Power to raise money by way of compensation for loss of fines on non-renewal of leases. Repealed
  40. 32Provision for the discharge of money borrowed on mortgage. Repealed
  41. Special Provisions as to Advowsons, & c.
  42. 33Power to sell advowsons, &c. Repealed
  43. 34Power to purchase advowsons, &c. Repealed
  44. 35Power to substitute lands, &c. for rents, &c. as endowments of benefices. Repealed
  45. 36Severances of benefices from headships of colleges. Repealed
  46. 37Power to transfer advowsons, &c. gratuitously. Repealed
  47. Provisions as to the Minister
  48. 38Provisions as to consents by Minister. Repealed
  49. 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  50. Supplemental Provisions
  51. 40Power to transfer to the university or college lands vested in individual members thereof.
  52. 41Land to which Act applies and mode of exercise of powers.
  53. 42Saving of existing powers.
  54. 43Definitions.
  55. 44Repeals.
  56. 45Short title.
  57. Schedule FIRST Repealed
  58. Part I: Improvements for which a University or College may borrow or apply Capital Money Repealed
  59. Paragraph Repealed
  60. Part II: Improvements for which a University or College may borrow Money or apply Capital Money subject to special provisions as to replacement thereof Repealed
  61. Paragraph Repealed
  62. Schedule SECONDSchedule SECOND

1Universities and Colleges to which the Act applies.

The universities and colleges to which this Act applies are the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham, and the colleges or halls in those universities, and the Colleges of Saint Mary of Winchester, near Winchester, and of King Henry the Sixth at Eton, and for the purposes of this Act the Cathedral or House of Christ Church in Oxford shall be considered to be a college in the University of Oxford.

1AGeneral power over landF1

(1)

A university or college has in relation to land belonging to the university or college all the powers of an absolute owner.

(2)

The power conferred by subsection (1) is subject to—

(a)

any restriction, condition or limitation imposed by, or arising under, any enactment,

(b)

any rule of law or equity, or

(c)

the statutes regulating the university or college.

2Powers of sale and exchange.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3Regulations respecting sales.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4Regulations respecting exchanges.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5Payment to Minister of money payable on sale or exchange.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6Powers to lease for building or mining or ordinary purposes.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7Regulations respecting leases generally.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8Leasing powers for special objects.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9Regulations respecting building leases.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10Regulations respecting mining leases.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11Variation of building or mining lease according to circumstances of district.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12Application of mineral rents, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13Surrenders and regrants.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14Power to grant water rights to statutory bodies.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15Power to grant land for public and charitable purposes.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16Dedication for streets, open spaces, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17Power to compromise claims and release restrictions, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18Power to vary leases and grants.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19Power to apportion rents.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20Provisions as to consideration.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21General power to effect any transaction under an order of the Minister.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22Separate dealing with surface and minerals, with or without wayleaves, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23Power to grant options.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

24Power to enter into contracts.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25Exercise of powers; limitation of provisions, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26Modes of investment or application of capital money.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27Provisions as to money in court.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28Provision as to money payable into court or to trustees.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

29Application of money paid for lease or reversion.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30Power to raise money with consent of the Minister for improvements.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31Power to raise money by way of compensation for loss of fines on non-renewal of leases.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

32Provision for the discharge of money borrowed on mortgage.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

33Power to sell advowsons, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34Power to purchase advowsons, &c.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35Power to substitute lands, &c. for rents, &c. as endowments of benefices.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36Severances of benefices from headships of colleges.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37Power to transfer advowsons, &c. gratuitously.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38Provisions as to consents by Minister.F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

40Power to transfer to the university or college lands vested in individual members thereof.

When any lands are vested in any person being a member of a university or college in trust or for the benefit of the university or college, or the head or any other member thereof, it shall be lawful for such person F1... to convey and transfer such lands in such manner as that the same may be vested in the university or college in its corporate capacity, upon the trusts nevertheless affecting the same lands respectively.

41Land to which Act applies and mode of exercise of powers.

(1)

The powers and provisions of this Act relating to land belonging to a university or college shall extend and be applicable not only to land vested in the university or college, or in any body constituted for holding land belonging to the university or college, and held as the property or for the general purposes of the university or college, but also to land so vested which may be held upon any trusts, or for any special endowment or other purposes, connected with the university or college.

(2)

The power conferred by this Act on a university or college may as respects each particular university or college be exercised by such body and in such manner as may be provided by the statutes regulating that university or college.

42Saving of existing powers.

Nothing in this Act contained shall restrain a university or college, or other body constituted for holding land belonging to a university or college, from exercising any powers of sale, exchange, purchase, or borrowing, or from granting any leases or making any grants, whether by way of renewal or otherwise, which the university or college might have exercised or granted under the provisions of any Act of Parliament, whether public general or local or private, or under any other authority, or in any other manner whatsoever, in case this Act had not been passedF1...

43Definitions.

In this Act F1...:—

F2(i)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F3(ii)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii)

“Hereditaments” mean real property which on an intestacy might before the commencement of the M1Law of Property Act 1922, have devolved on an heir;

(iv)

“Land” includes land of any tenure, and mines and minerals whether or not held apart from the surface, buildings or parts of buildings (whether the division is horizontal, vertical or otherwise) and all other corporeal hereditaments; also a manor, an advowson, and a rent and all other incorporeal hereditaments, and an easement, right, privilege, or benefit in, over, or derived from land F4, but not an undivided share in land;

(v)

“Lease” includes an agreement for a lease;

(vi)

“Manor” includes lordship, and reputed manor or lordship; and “manorial incidents” has the same meaning as in the M2Law of Property Act 1922;

(vii)

“Mines and minerals” mean mines and minerals whether already opened or in work or not, and include all minerals and substances in, on, or under the land, obtainable by underground or by surface working; and “mining purposes” include the sinking and searching for, winning, working, getting, making merchantable, smelting or otherwise converting or working for the purposes of any manufacture, carrying away, and disposing of mines and minerals, in or under F5any land, and the erection of buildings, and the execution of engineering and other works suitable for those purposes; and a “mining lease” is a lease for any mining purposes or purposes connected therewith, and includes a grant or licence for any mining purposes;

F6(viii)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(ix)

“Rent” includes yearly or other rent, and toll, duty, royalty, or other reservation, by the acre, or the ton, or otherwise; and, in relation to rent, “payment” includes delivery; and “fine” includes premium or fore-gift, and any payment, consideration, or benefit in the nature of a fine, premium, or fore-gift;

F7(x)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

44Repeals.

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1 nothing in this repeal shall affect the validity of anything done before the commencement of this Act, or shall affect any consent, order, authority, or direction given under any enactment so repealed; but any such consent, order, authority, or direction shall have effect as if made under the corresponding provisions of this Act.

(2)

References in any document to any enactment repealed by this Act shall be construed as references to this Act or the corresponding provisions of this Act.

45Short title.

(1)

This Act may be cited as the Universities and College Estates Act 1925.

(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

F1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1

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Schedule SECONDF1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .