despite prior charge (1) On the application of a managing controller of
property of a corporation, the Court may by order authorise the controller to
sell, or to dispose of in some other specified way, specified property of the
corporation, even though it is subject to a charge (in this section called the
prior charge ) that has priority over a charge (in this section called the
controller's charge ) on that property that the controller is enforcing.
(2) However, the Court may only make an order if satisfied that:
- (a)
- apart
from the existence of the prior charge, the controller would have power to
sell, or to so dispose of, the property; and
- (b)
- the controller has taken all reasonable steps to obtain the consent of the
holder of the prior charge to the sale or disposal, but has not obtained that
consent; and
- (c)
- sale or disposal of the property under the order is in the best interests
of the corporation's creditors and of the corporation; and
- (d)
- sale or disposal of the property under the order will not unreasonably
prejudice the rights or interests of the holder of the prior charge.
(3) The Court is to have regard to the need to protect adequately the rights
and interests of the holder of the prior charge.
(4) If the property would be sold or disposed of together with other property
that is subject to the controller's charge, the Court may have regard to:
- (a)
- the amount (if any) by which it is reasonable to expect that the net
proceeds of selling or disposing of that other property otherwise than
together with the first-mentioned property would be less than so much of the
net proceeds of selling or disposing of all the property together as would be
attributable to that other property; and
- (b)
- the amount (if any) by which it is reasonable to expect that the net
proceeds of selling or disposing of the first-mentioned property otherwise
than together with the other property would be greater than so much of the net
proceeds of selling or disposing of all the property together as would be
attributable to the first-mentioned property.
(5) Nothing in subsection (3) or (4) limits the matters to which the
Court may have regard for the purposes of subsection (2).
(6) An order may be made subject to conditions, for example (but without
limitation):
- (a)
- a condition that:
- (i)
- the net proceeds of the sale or disposal; and
- (ii)
- the net proceeds of the sale or disposal of such other property (if any)
as is specified in the condition and is subject to the controller's charge;
or a specified part of those net proceeds, be applied in payment of specified
amounts secured by the prior charge; or
- (b)
- a condition that the controller apply a specified amount in payment of
specified amounts secured by the prior charge.