Not sure, Paul, to what you may be referring.
My understanding is that, at least in theory, good legal title is capable of being acquired by the trustees acquiring trust property. Such acquisition is possible, without court permission, if the beneficiaries are all sui juris and are absolutely entitled to the beneficial interest in the property purchased and who do not disagree with the purchase.
However, the problem in practice is that any future potential purchaser of the property knowing that the trustees purchased from a trust of which they were trustees may be put off from purchasing, particularly in light of the fact that the right to avoid the initial purchase is enforceable against a successor.
The so-called “self dealing” rule applies to PRs (as well as trustees);
Kane v Radley-Kane [1999].
Malcolm Finney