King Abdullah has approved the transfer of ownership of 873 plots of land in Western Al-Muntazah (Al-Muntazah Al-Gharbi) Planned District, located in northern Jeddah, after a 26-year stalemate. The royal approval to transfer the plots, each of which are no more than 1,000 square meters, came after a committee of representatives from the ministries of Interior, Justice and Municipal and Rural Affairs recommended approving the individual title deeds that stemmed from the main title deed, especially because widows and orphans had sold or purchased several of these plots of land. The committee referred its recommendation to King Abdullah only after confirming that the residential plots were located in an approved planned district, with legal ownership proven by title deeds. Sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the committee proposed that the amount paid to the first seller be taken and the person who caused the violations be penalized. The committee said those moves would prevent disputes and safeguard others' rights, especially since many of the plots had changed hands many times; in some cases ownership changes were such that innocent people were involved in buying and selling them, the sources added. The transactions were referred to the Ministry of Justice, which took its necessary actions and referred them to the Notary Public Office to implement the royal directives. The order stipulated approving the plots that have houses or buildings constructed on them and those owned by people who have received loans from the Real Estate Development Fund. Owners of the Western Al-Muntazah Planned District said they conducted the transaction transfers on Wednesday. They also confirmed that the Notary Public Office, which possesses the title deeds, would soon transfer ownership of the plots of land. They expressed their gratitude to King Abdullah for this kind and generous gesture, which confirms the leadership's concern to be fair to citizens and enable them to live happy lives. __
