Fees delayed in Palm Jumeirah beach, gym and pool dispute

The dispute between Nakheel and Palm Jumeirah Shoreline residents drags on.

DUBAI // Nakheel yesterday postponed by two weeks the membership fees for beach, pool and gym access that it had planned to impose on residents of the Palm Jumeirah Shoreline development.
The announcement came just days after the chief of Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Marwan bin Ghalaita, said residents should not have to buy memberships to use those facilities.
His were the first official public comments on the high-profile dispute.
Instead of issuing new access cards based on membership purchases, Nakheel posted signs dated December 29 that said residents' current passes "will be effective until Sunday 15th January".
At the core of the dispute, which has also arisen at other freehold properties in Dubai, is what rights owners have over the beach, pool and gym.
If they legally count as "common areas", whose control should pass from developers to owners, owners can use them as they like. If not, then the terms of use depend on the sales contract and, to a lesser extent, any sales material offering beach, pool and gym access.
Last week, Mr bin Ghalaita said the pool counts as a common area, while the beach and gym do not.
But, he added, residents had a right to use the beach and gym.
Nakheel had planned to charge residents Dh2,000 per year for an individual membership and Dh5,000 for a family of four.
The company did not respond to requests for comment.
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