Commentary on Sections Overview Overview Section 315: Deduction for expenditure on sea walls
1285.This is the first of four sections that provide relief to a landlord for expenditure on making a sea wall or other embankment to protect let premises against flooding by the sea or a tidal river. They are based on section 30 of ICTA.
1286.Section 315 states the circumstances under which the relief is given. It is based on sections 30 and 65A of ICTA.
1287.Subsection (1)(b) states the subject of the relief. Repair and maintenance of an existing sea wall normally qualify for relief as revenue expenses of a property business but the making of a new wall is capital expenditure and would not qualify for relief without special provision.
1288.Subsection (2) makes it clear that to obtain a deduction for seawalls expenditure, the person carrying on the property business and the person incurring the seawalls expenditure must be the same person. This may appear to be stating the obvious but section 30(1) of ICTA says merely that the person incurring the expenditure is treated as making a payment “for the purpose of computing the profits of any Schedule A business carried on in relation to those premises” (emphasis added). This cannot be taken literally to mean any such business carried on by someone other than the person incurring the expenditure. There would be no point in deeming the payment to be made by that person if it were otherwise. And the provisions on transfer of interests in section 30(2) and (3) of ICTA reflect the notion that the deemed payment, and hence the right to relief, moves from the former owner to the transferee. There is no suggestion of involvement by any other party.
1289.Subsection (3) defines the “deduction period” referred to in subsection (2). Qualifying expenditure is deducted over 21 years in calculating the profits of the property business. The “deduction period” is comparable to the “writing-down period” over which expenditure qualifying for capital allowances is written off. This reflects the similarity between the relief given by the sea walls provisions and certain capital allowances provisions. The relief is for expenditure which would otherwise be capital in nature. And the expenditure is not relieved all at once but over a period, even if there are changes in the person who obtains the relief.