A survey plan is the single most useful piece of paper for any plot of land in Grenada, and the one buyers most often glance at without understanding. It shows the shape of the land, the length and direction of every boundary, where the corner marks were placed, how big the parcel is, who owns the land on each side, and which surveyor certified it. Read properly, it tells you whether the plot you walked is the plot you are paying for.
This guide walks through each element of a typical Grenadian cadastral plan, explains the units you will meet on old and new plans, and lists the things worth questioning before you sign anything. It is no substitute for a licensed surveyor's check, but it lets you ask the right questions of your surveyor and attorney.
The parts of the plan, one by one
Title block. Usually along one side or the bottom. It names the parcel and the owner or applicant at the time of survey, gives the parish and locality, the date of survey, the scale and the name and signature of the licensed surveyor. An approved plan also carries the reference given when the Lands and Surveys Division accepted it.
North point. An arrow indicating north, and sometimes whether the bearings are referred to true north or grid north. Plans from different eras can use different references, which is one reason old and new plans of the same land do not line up exactly.
Boundary lines. The outline of the parcel drawn heavily, with each straight line labelled with a bearing and a distance. Curved boundaries along a road or a river are shown differently, and natural boundaries such as a ravine or the sea need careful reading.
Marks. Small symbols at the corners show what was found or placed: concrete monuments, iron pins or other markers. The legend explains which symbol means what. A corner marked as found, rather than newly placed, ties your parcel to earlier surveys.
Adjoining owners and roads. Names written outside each boundary identify neighbours as they were at the date of survey, and public or private roads that give access. These names often date back decades and may not match today's occupiers.
Area. The calculated area of the parcel, stated in the units used on the plan.
Bearings and distances without the maths
A bearing gives the direction of a boundary line as an angle measured from north, written in degrees, minutes and seconds, for example 47 degrees 15 minutes. Read around the parcel, each line has a bearing and a distance, and together they close the shape. You do not need to calculate anything: what matters is that the lines on the plan match what you see on the ground, and that the surveyor confirms the figure closes properly.
Distances on many Grenadian plans are in feet, especially older ones; some newer plans use metres. Confirm which before comparing with a sale advertisement. A road frontage of 60 on the plan is a very different plot if the unit is metres rather than feet.
The useful exercise for a buyer is to walk the boundaries with the plan and, ideally, the surveyor. Find each corner mark, look along each line, and note where fences, walls, drains or buildings sit in relation to it. If a corner mark cannot be found, the surveyor can re-establish it from the recorded measurements.
Units you will meet: from perches to square metres
Land in Grenada has been measured in several systems over its history, and old deeds and plans still circulate. The ones you are most likely to see:
- Square feet: the everyday unit for house lots, and the one most sale listings use. A typical residential lot in a laid-out development may be somewhere between roughly 5,000 and 15,000 square feet, though there is no standard size.
- Acres: used for larger parcels and agricultural land. One acre is 43,560 square feet, or about 4,047 square metres.
- Acres, roods and perches: common on older estate deeds. There are 4 roods in an acre and 40 perches in a rood, so a description such as 2 acres 1 rood 20 perches means two and a quarter acres plus 20 perches.
- Square metres and hectares: the metric units. One hectare is 10,000 square metres, roughly 2.47 acres.
- Chains and links: the old linear measure on some estate plans, where one chain is 66 feet.
- When an area is given in one unit in the deed and another on the plan, ask the surveyor to confirm the two agree. Small differences are normal; large ones need explaining.
Comparing the plan with the deed
The plan and the deed should describe the same land. In practice they often say slightly different things, especially where an old conveyance describes land as being bounded on the north by the lands of a named family and on the south by a public road, while the modern plan gives measured lines and an area to the square foot. Your attorney checks that the deed refers to the plan, or that the plan clearly covers the land the deed conveys.
Differences in area deserve attention. If a seller advertises half an acre and the plan shows 18,000 square feet, the gap is about a sixth of the plot. The price should follow the measured area, not the advertised one.
Watch also for land described as part of a larger parcel. A sale of a portion of an estate needs a subdivision plan showing the portion being sold, and that plan must be approved before the deed can properly convey it. Selling off an unapproved piece of a bigger holding is a recurring source of trouble for buyers.
Drawings that look like survey plans but are not
Several kinds of drawing circulate in Grenadian land deals, and only one of them fixes legal boundaries. A site plan prepared by an architect or draughtsman for a planning application shows where a proposed house, driveway and septic tank will sit. It is drawn from the survey plan but carries no authority on where the boundary is.
A topographic survey shows contours, spot levels, trees and existing structures. It is invaluable for design on sloping land but is not, on its own, a boundary survey. A sketch plan attached to an old deed, sometimes hand-drawn, may show the rough shape of a parcel without measurements that would let anyone re-establish it.
Developers sometimes print layout drawings of proposed lots for marketing. Until the subdivision has been surveyed, approved and the individual lot plans accepted, those shapes and areas can change. Ask which kind of drawing you are being shown, who prepared it, and whether an approved cadastral plan exists for the exact parcel being sold. If the answer is unclear, treat the drawing as an illustration, not evidence.
Red flags on a survey plan
No approval reference. A plan without evidence of acceptance by the Lands and Surveys Division may be a draft or a sketch. Ask why before relying on it.
Unsigned or unnamed surveyor. Every plan should show who certified it. If the surveyor is unknown, your own surveyor can check the records.
Boundaries along vague features. A boundary described as following a footpath, a ravine or a line of trees can shift over time. Ask how it was fixed.
Very old date. Plans from many decades ago may be accurate but rest on older control and marks that may have been lost. Budget for a check survey.
Access shown but not explained. A dotted track or a strip marked as a right of way needs legal backing. Ask your attorney whether the access is a public road, a recorded easement, or simply a path neighbours use.
Mismatch with the ground. If the plot you were shown seems larger, flatter or differently shaped than the plan, stop and get the surveyor out before going further.
Frequently asked questions
Where do copies of existing survey plans come from?
Approved plans are held by the Lands and Surveys Division, and copies are often attached to deeds at the Deeds and Land Registry. Your surveyor or attorney can usually obtain them. Sellers frequently have a copy among their papers too.
Why does the area on a plan differ from the deed?
Older deeds were often based on rough estimates or earlier measurement methods, and some describe land only by its neighbours. A modern survey measures precisely. Small differences are common; your attorney and surveyor should explain any significant gap.
What is a rood?
A rood is an old unit of area equal to a quarter of an acre, or 10,890 square feet. It appears on older Grenadian estate deeds in descriptions written as acres, roods and perches.
Are names of neighbours on the plan up to date?
They record adjoining owners at the date of survey, which may be many years ago. Land changes hands, so treat them as historical. Your attorney can find current owners through searches if needed.
Can the survey plan be used to design a house?
It gives the boundaries but usually not levels, trees or slopes. An architect will normally want a topographic survey as well, especially on hillside land, to design foundations, drainage and access properly.
