Legalize / United Kingdom / Public General Act

Town and Country Planning Act 1968

Type Public General Act

Publication 1968-10-25

State In force

Department King's Printer of Acts of Parliament

Source legislation.gov.uk

articles Not indexed

Reform history JSON API

(11) Before giving a direction under subsection (10) above in relation to a building, the Minister shall consult with the local planning authority and with the owner and the occupier of the building.

Provisions supplementary to s.40.

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(1) Section 40 above shall not apply to works for the demolition, alteration or extension of—

(a) an ecclesiastical building which is for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes or would be so used but for the works; or

(b) a building which is the subject of a scheme or order under the enactments for the time being in force with respect to ancient monuments; or

(c) a building for the time being included in a list of monuments published by the Minister of Public Building and Works under any such enactment.

For the purposes of this subsection, a building used or available for use by a minister of religion wholly or mainly as a residence from which to perform the duties of his office shall be treated as not being an ecclesiastical building.

(2) Where, on an application in that behalf, planning permission is granted after the commencement of this Part of this Act and—

(a) the development for which the permission is granted includes the carrying out of any works for the alteration or extension of a listed building ; and

(b) the planning permission or any condition subject to which it is granted is so framed as expressly to authorise the execution of the works (describing them),

the planning permission shall operate as listed building consent in respect of those works; but, except as provided by this subsection, the grant of planning permission for any development shall not make it unnecessary for such consent to be obtained in respect of any works to which section 40 above applies.

(3) In considering whether to grant planning permission for development which consists in or includes works for the alteration or extension of a listed building, and in considering whether to grant listed building consent for any works, the local planning authority or the Minister, as the case may be, shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

(4) Without prejudice to section 17(1) of the principal Act (grant of planning permission unconditionally or subject to conditions), the conditions which may under that subsection be attached to a grant of planning permission shall, in the case of such development as is referred to in subsection (2) above, include conditions with respect to—

(a) the preservation of particular features of the building, either as part of it or after severance therefrom;

(b) the making good, after the works are completed, of any damage caused to the building by the works;

(c) the reconstruction of the building or any part of it following the execution of any works, with the use of original materials so far as practicable and with such alterations of the interior of the building as may be specified in the conditions.

(5) Listed building consent may be granted either unconditionally or subject to conditions, which may include such conditions as are mentioned in subsection (4) above.

(6) Part I of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect with respect to applications to local planning authorities for listed building consent, the reference of such applications to the Minister and appeals against decisions on such applications; and Part II of that Schedule shall have effect with respect to the revocation of listed building consent by a local planning authority or the Minister and to the compensation payable in the case of revocation.

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(1) Where, on an application for listed building consent in respect of a building, consent is refused or is granted subject to conditions or, by an order under Part II of Schedule 5 to this Act, listed building consent is revoked or modified, then if any owner of the land claims—

(a) that the land has become incapable of reasonably beneficial use in its existing state ; and

(b) in a case where consent was granted subject to conditions with respect to the execution of the works or, as the case may be, was modified by the imposition of such conditions, that the land cannot be rendered capable of reasonably beneficial use by the carrying out of the works in accordance with those conditions; and

(c) in any case that the land cannot be rendered capable of reasonably beneficial use by the carrying out of any other works for which listed building consent has been granted or for which the local planning authority or the Minister has undertaken to grant such consent,

he may, within the prescribed time and manner, serve on the council of the county borough, county district or London borough in which the land is situated a notice requiring that council to purchase his interest in the land in accordance with Part III of Schedule 5 to this Act.

(2) A notice under this section is in this Act referred to as a " listed building purchase notice ".

(3) In this section and in Part III of Schedule 5 to this Act, " the land " means the building in respect of which listed building consent has been refused, or granted subject to conditions, or modified by the imposition of conditions, and in respect of which its owner serves a notice under this section, together with any land comprising the building, or contiguous or adjacent to it, and owned with it, being land as to which the owner claims that its use is substantially inseparable from that of the building and that it ought to be treated, together with the building, as a single holding.

(4) Where, for the purpose of determining whether the conditions specified in paragraph's (a) to (c) of subsection (1) above are satisfied in relation to the land, any question arises as to what is or would in any particular circumstances be a reasonably beneficial use of that land, then in determining that question for that purpose, no account shall be taken of any prospective use of that land which would involve the carrying out of new development or of any works requiring listed building consent which might be executed to the building, other than works for which the local planning authority or the Minister have undertaken to grant such consent.

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(1) The provisions of this section shall have effect where an application is made for listed building consent for the alteration or extension of a listed building and—

(a) either the works do not constitute development or they do so but the development is such that planning permission therefor is granted by a development order; and

(b) the Minister, either on appeal or on the reference of the application to him, refuses such consent or grants it subject to conditions.

(2) If, on a claim made to the local planning authority within the prescribed time and manner, it is shown that the value of the interest of any person in the land is less than it would have been if listed building consent had been granted, or had been granted unconditionally, as the case may be, the local planning authority shall pay to that person compensation of an amount equal to the difference.

(3) In determining, for the purposes of subsection (2) above, whether or to what extent the value of an interest in land is less than it would have been if the permission had been granted, or had been granted unconditionally,—

(a) it shall be assumed that any subsequent application for the like consent would be determined in the same way ; but

(b) if, in the case of a refusal of listed building consent, the Minister, on refusing that consent, undertook to grant such consent for some other works to the building in the event of an application being made in that behalf, regard shall be had to that undertaking.

(4) No compensation shall be payable under this section in respect of an interest in land in respect of which a purchase notice is served, whether under section 129 or 135 of the principal Act or under section 42 above, being a purchase notice which takes effect.

Enforcement

Notice to enforce s. 40 control.

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(1) Where it appears to the local planning authority that any works have been, or are being, executed to a listed building in their area and are such as to involve a contravention of section 40(2) or (6) of this Act, then, subject to any directions given by the Minister, they may, if they consider it expedient to do so having regard to the effect of the works on the character of the building as one of special architectural or historic interest, serve a notice—

(a) specifying the alleged contravention ; and

(b) requiring such steps as may be specified in the notice for restoring that building to its former state or, as the case may be, for bringing it to the state it would have been in if the terms and conditions of any listed building consent for the works had been complied with, to be taken within such period as may be so specified.

(2) A notice under this section is hereafter in this Act referred to as a " listed building enforcement notice ".

(3) Part IV of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect with respect to listed building enforcement notices and appeals against such notices.

Penalties for non-compliance with notice under s.44.

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(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, where a listed building enforcement notice has been served on the person who, at the time when the notice was served on him, was the owner of the building to which it relates, then, if any steps required by the notice to be taken have not been taken within the period allowed for compliance with the notice, that person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £400, or on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(2) If a person against whom proceedings have been brought under subsection (1) above has, at some time before the end of the period allowed for compliance with the notice, ceased to be the owner of the building, he shall, upon information duly laid by him, and on giving to the prosecution not less than three clear days' notice of his intention, be entitled to have the person who then became the owner of the building (in this section referred to as " the subsequent owner ") brought before the court in the proceedings.

(3) If, after it has been proved that any steps required by the notice have not been taken within the period allowed for compliance with the notice, the original defendant proves that the failure to take those steps was attributable, in whole or in part, to the default of the subsequent owner,—

(a) the subsequent owner may be convicted of the offence ; and

(b) the original defendant, if he further proves that he took all reasonable steps to secure compliance with the notice, shall be acquitted of the offence.

(4) If, after a person has been convicted under the foregoing provisions of this section, he does not as soon as practicable do everything in his power to secure compliance with the notice, he shall be guilty of a further offence and be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine of not more than £50 for each day following his first conviction on which any of the requirements of the notice remain unfulfilled ; or

(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(5) Any reference in this section or section 46 below to the period allowed for compliance with a listed building enforcement notice is a reference to the period specified in the notice as that within which the steps specified in the notice are required thereby to be taken, or such extended period as the local planning authority may allow for taking them.

Execution and cost of works required under enforcement procedure.

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(1) If, within the period allowed for compliance with a listed building enforcement notice any steps required by the notice to be taken have not been taken, the authority may enter on the land and take those steps and may recover from the person who is then the owner of the land any expenses reasonably incurred by them in doing so.

(2) Any expenses incurred by the owner or occupier of a building for the purpose of complying with a listed building enforcement notice and any sums paid by the owner of a building under subsection (1) of this section in respect of expenses incurred by the local planning authority in taking steps required by such a notice to be taken, shall be deemed to be incurred or paid for the use and at the request of the person who carried out the works to which the notice relates.

(3) Section 49(2) and (3) of the principal Act (application by regulations of certain provisions of the Public Health Act 1936 in relation to enforcement works) shall apply in relation to a listed building enforcement notice as they apply in relation to an enforcement notice; and any regulations made by virtue of this subsection may provide for the charging on the land on which the building stands of any expenses recoverable by a local planning authority under subsection (1) of this section.

Enforcement by, or by direction of, the Minister.

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(1) If it appears to the Minister, after consultation with the local planning authority (and, in Greater London, also with the Greater London Council), to be expedient that a listed building enforcement notice should be served in respect of any land, he may give directions to the local planning authority requiring them to serve such a notice, or may himself serve such a notice ; and any notice so served by the Minister shall have the like effect as a notice served by the local planning authority.

(2) In relation to a listed building enforcement notice served by the Minister, the provisions of section 45(5) and 46 of this Act shall apply as if for any reference therein to the local planning authority there were substituted a reference to the Minister.

Other measures open to local planning authority and the Minister

Building preservation notice in respect of building not listed.

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(1) If it appears to the local planning authority, in the case of a building in their area which is not a listed building, that it is of special architectural or historic interest and is in danger of demolition or of alteration in such a way as to affect its character as such, they may (subject to subsection (2) below) serve on the owner and occupier of the building a notice (referred to in this section as a " building preservation notice ")—

(a) stating that the building appears to them to be of special architectural or historic interest and that they have requested the Minister to consider including it in a list compiled or approved under section 32 of the principal Act; and

(b) explaining the effect of subsections (3) and (4) of this section.

(2) A building preservation notice shall not be served in respect of—

(a) an ecclesiastical building which is for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes ; or

(b) a building which is the subject of a scheme or order under the enactments for the time being in force with respect to ancient monuments ; or

(c) a building for the time being included in a list of monuments published by the Minister of Public Building and Works under any such enactment.

(3) A building preservation notice shall come into force as soon as it has been served on both the owner and occupier of the building to which it relates and shall remain in force for six months from the date when it is served or, as the case may be, last served; but it shall cease to be in force if, before the expiration of that period, the Minister either includes the building in a list compiled or approved under section 32 of the principal Act or notifies the local planning authority in writing that he does not intend to do so.

(4) While a building preservation notice is in force with respect to a building, the provisions of this Part of this Act shall have effect in relation to it as if the building were a listed building; and if the notice ceases to be in force (otherwise than by reason of the building being included in a list compiled or approved under the said section 32), the provisions of Part V of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect with respect to things done or occurring under the notice or with reference to the building being treated as listed.

(5) If, following the service of a building preservation notice, the Minister notifies the local planning authority that he does not propose to include the building in a list compiled or approved under section 32 of the principal Act, the authority—

(a) shall forthwith give notice of the Minister's decision to the owner and occupier of the building ; and

(b) shall not, within the period of twelve months beginning with the date of the Minister's notification, serve another such notice in respect of the said building.

Compensation for loss or damage caused by service of building preservation notice.

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(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect as respects compensation where a building preservation notice is served.

(2) The local planning authority shall not be under any obligation to pay compensation under section 43 of this Act, in respect of any refusal of listed building consent or its grant subject to conditions, unless and until the building is included in a list compiled or approved by the Minister under section 32 of the principal Act; but this subsection shall not prevent a claim for such compensation being made before the building is so included.

(3) If the building preservation notice ceases to have effect without the building having been included in a list so compiled or approved, then, subject to a claim in that behalf being made to the local planning authority within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner, any person who at the time when the notice was served had an interest in the building shall be entitled to be paid compensation by the authority in respect of any loss or damage directly attributable to the effect of the notice.

(4) The loss or damage in respect of which compensation is payable under subsection (3) above shall include a sum payable in respect of a breach of contract caused by the necessity of discontinuing or countermanding any works to the building on account of the building preservation notice being in force with respect thereto.

Compulsory acquisition of listed building in need of repair.

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(1) Where it appears to the Minister, in the case of a building to which this section applies, that reasonable steps are not being taken for properly preserving it, the Minister may authorise the council of the county, county borough or county district in which the building is situated or, in the case of a building situated in Greater London, the Greater London Council or the London borough council, to acquire compulsorily under this section the building and any land comprising or contiguous or adjacent to it which appears to the Minister to be required for preserving the building or its amenities, or for affording access to it, or for its proper control or management.

(2) Where it appears to the Minister, in the case of a building to which this section applies, that reasonable steps are not being taken for properly preserving it, he may be authorised under this section to acquire compulsorily the building and any land comprising or contiguous or adjacent to it which appears to him to be required for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) This section applies to any listed building, not being—

(a) an ecclesiastical building which is for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes ; or

(b) a building which is the subject of a scheme or order under the enactments for the time being in force with respect to ancient monuments ; or

(c) a building for the time being included in a list of monuments published by the Minister of Public Building and Works under any such enactment.

For the purposes of this subsection a building used or available for use by a minister of religion wholly or mainly as a residence from which to perform the duties of his office shall be treated as not being an ecclesiastical building.

(4) The Minister shall not make or confirm a compulsory purchase order for the acquisition of any building by virtue of this section unless he is satisfied that it is expedient to make provision for the preservation of the building and to authorise its compulsory acquisition for that purpose.

(5) The Act of 1946 shall apply to the compulsory acquisition of land under this section and accordingly shall have effect—

(a) as if this section had been in force immediately before the commencement of that Act; and

(b) as if references therein to the Minister of Transport and to the enactments specified in section 1(1)(b) of that Act included respectively references to the Minister and to the provisions of this section.

(6) Any person having an interest in a building which it is proposed to acquire compulsorily under this section may, within twenty-eight days after the service of the notice required to be served under paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946, apply to a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area within which the building is situated for an order staying further proceedings on the compulsory purchase order; and, if the court is satisfied that reasonable steps have been taken for properly preserving the building, the court shall make an order accordingly.

(7) Any person aggrieved by the decision of a magistrates' court on an application under subsection (6) above may appeal against that decision to a court of quarter sessions.

Repairs notice as preliminary to compulsory acquisition.

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(1) Neither a council nor the Minister shall start the compulsory purchase of a building under section 50 above unless at least two months previously they have served on the owner of the building, and not withdrawn, a notice under this section (referred to in this section as a " repairs notice ")—

(a) specifying the works which they consider reasonably necessary for the proper preservation of the building; and

(b) explaining the effect of sections 50 to 53 of this Act.

(2) Where a council or the Minister have served a repairs notice, the demolition of the building thereafter shall not prevent them from being authorised under section 50 above to acquire compulsorily the site of the building, if the Minister is satisfied that he would have confirmed or, as the case may be, would have made a compulsory purchase order in respect of the building had it not been demolished.

(3) A council or the Minister may at any time withdraw a repairs notice served by them; and if they do so, they shall forthwith give notice of the withdrawal to the person who was served with the notice.

(4) A person on whom there has been served a repairs notice shall not in any case be entitled to serve a purchase notice under section 129 of the principal Act or section 42 of this Act until the expiration of three months beginning with the date of the service of the repairs notice; and if during the said period of three months the council or the Minister start the compulsory acquisition of the building in the exercise of their powers under section 50 above, the person shall not be so entitled unless and until the compulsory acquisition is discontinued.

(5) For the purposes of this section a compulsory acquisition—

(a) is started when the council or the Minister, as the case may be, serve the notice required by paragraph 3(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946 ; and

(b) is discontinued, in the case of acquisition by a council, when they withdraw the compulsory purchase order or the Minister decides not to confirm it and, in the case of acquisition by the Minister, when he decides not to make the compulsory purchase order.

Compensation on compulsory acquisition.

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Subject to section 53 below, for the purpose of assessing compensation in respect of any compulsory acquisition of land including a building which, immediately before the date of the compulsory purchase order, was listed, it shall be assumed that listed building consent would be granted for any works for the alteration or extension of the building, or for its demolition, other than works in respect of which such consent has been applied for before the date of the order and refused by the Minister, or granted by him subject to conditions, the circumstances having been such that compensation thereupon became payable under section 43 of this Act.

Minimum compensation in case of building deliberately left derelict.

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(1) A council proposing to acquire a building compulsorily under section 50 above, if they are satisfied that the building has been deliberately allowed to fall into disrepair for the purpose of justifying its demolition and the development or re-development of the site or any adjoining site, may include in the compulsory purchase order as submitted to the Minister for confirmation an application for a direction for minimum compensation ; and the Minister, if he is so satisfied, may include such a direction in the order as confirmed by him.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, where the Minister acquires a building compulsorily under section 50 of this Act, he may, if he is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (1) above, include a direction for minimum compensation in the compulsory purchase order.

(3) The notice required to be served in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946 (notices stating effect of compulsory purchase order or, as the case may be, draft order) shall, without prejudice to so much of that paragraph as requires the notice to state the effect of the order, include a statement that the authority have made application for a direction for minimum compensation or, as the case may be, that the Minister has included such a direction in the draft order prepared by him in accordance with paragraph 7 of that Schedule and shall in either case explain the meaning of the expression " direction for minimum compensation ".

(4) A direction for minimum compensation, in relation to a building compulsorily acquired, is a direction that for the purpose of assessing compensation it is to be assumed, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Land Compensation Act 1961 or this Act, that planning permission would not be granted for any development or re-development of the site of the building and that listed building consent would not be granted for any works for the demolition, alteration or extension of the building other than development or works necessary for restoring it to, and maintaining it in, a proper state of repair; and if a compulsory purchase order is confirmed or made with the inclusion of such a direction, the compensation in respect of the compulsory acquisition shall be assessed in accordance with the direction.

(5) Where the local authority include in a compulsory purchase order made by them an application for a direction for minimum compensation, or the Minister includes such a direction in a draft compulsory purchase order prepared by him, any person having an interest in the building may, within twenty-eight days after the service of the notice required by paragraph 3(1)(b) of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946, apply to a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which the building is situated for an order that the local authority's application for a direction for minimum compensation be refused or, as the case may be, that such a direction be not included in the compulsory purchase order as made by the Minister; and if the court is satisfied that the building has not been deliberately allowed to fall into disrepair for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, the court shall make the order applied for.

(6) A person aggrieved by the decision of a magistrates' court on an application under subsection (5) above may appeal against the decision to a court of quarter sessions.

(7) The rights conferred by subsections (5) and (6) of this section shall not prejudice those conferred by section 50(6) and (7) of this Act.

Miscellaneous

Matters which may be taken into account by Minister in listing buildings.

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In considering whether to include a building in a list compiled or approved under section 32 of the principal Act, the Minister may take into account not only the building itself but also—

(a) any respect in which its exterior contributes to the architectural or historic interest of any group of buildings of which it forms part; and

(b) the desirability of preserving, on the ground of its architectural or historic interest, any feature of the building consisting of a man-made object or structure fixed to the building or forming part of the land and comprised within the curtilage of the building.

Application of control to local planning authorities.

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(1) In relation to buildings of local planning authorities which are listed, and to the execution of works for their demolition, alteration or extension, this Part of this Act shall have effect subject to such exceptions and modifications as may be prescribed.

(2) Regulations made under this section may in particular provide for securing—

(a) that any application by a local planning authority for listed building consent shall be made to the Minister; and

(b) that any notice authorised to be served under this Part of this Act in relation to a listed building belonging to a local planning authority shall be served by the Minister.

Directions by Minister to local planning authorities with respect to development affecting Conservation Areas.

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(1) The Minister may give directions to local planning authorities with respect to the matters which they are to take into consideration in determining an application—

(a) for planning permission for any such development as is referred to in section 1(6) of the Civic Amenities Act 1967 (special provisions as to publicity for applications affecting Conservation Areas); or

(b) for listed building consent for any works for the demolition, alteration or extension of a building in a Conservation Area,

and with respect to the consultations which such authorities are to undertake before determining any such application.

(2) Different directions may under this section be given to different local planning authorities ; and any, such directions may require an authority—

(a) before determining an application to consult such persons or bodies of persons as the Minister may specify, being persons or bodies appearing to him to be competent to give advice in relation to the development or description of development to which the directions have reference;

(b) to supply to any person or body, whom they are required by the directions to consult, specified documents or information enabling the body to form an opinion on which to base their advice :

(c) to establish committees, consisting either of members of the authority or of other persons, or of both, to advise the authority in relation to the determination of such applications as are referred to in subsection (1) above.

Additional requirement of notice for development affecting Conservation Area.

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(1) Where an application for planning permission for any development of land is made to a local planning authority and the case is one where the authority are required to comply with section 1(6) of the Civic Amenities Act 1967 (special publicity for planning applications affecting Conservation Areas), the authority shall also comply with the following subsection.

(2) The authority shall, for not less than seven days display a notice on or near the land to which the application relates, containing the same particulars as are required by section 1(6) (a) of the Civic Amenities Act 1967 to be contained in the notice to be published by the authority in a local newspaper.

(3) An application for planning permission to which section 1(6) of the said Act of 1967 applies shall not be determined by the local planning authority before both of the following periods have elapsed, namely:—

(a) the period of twenty-one days referred to in paragraph (a) of that subsection ; and

(b) the period of twenty-one days beginning with the date on which the notice required by subsection (2) of this section was first displayed ;

and in determining the application the authority shall take into account any representations relating to the application which are received by them before both those periods have elapsed.

(4) In the said section 1(6), paragraphs (b) and (c) shall cease to have effect.

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The power of a local authority under section 1(1) (b) of the Local Authorities (Historic Buildings) Act 1962 to contribute towards expenses incurred or to be incurred in the repair or maintenance of a building in their area appearing to them to be of architectural or historic interest shall be exercisable without the consent of the Minister.

Compulsory purchase affecting ancient monuments, etc.

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In paragraph 12 of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946 (application of special parliamentary procedure to compulsory purchase order affecting ancient monument etc., subject to certificate by Minister of Public Building and Works that undertakings have been given as to its preservation), the reference to land being, or being the site of, an ancient monument or other object of archaeological interest shall be construed as not including a reference to a listed building or any land or object comprised within the curtilage of such a building, unless the building or object is specified in the Schedule to the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 or is for the time being specified in a list published under section 12 of the Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913.

Crown land.

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(1) A building may be included in a list compiled or approved by the Minister under section 32 of the principal Act notwithstanding that it is Crown land.

(2) Notwithstanding any interest of the Crown in Crown land, but subject to the provisions of section 199 of the principal Act (exercise of powers under that Act in relation to Crown land), any restrictions or powers imposed or conferred by this Part of this Act shall apply and be exercisable in relation to Crown land to the extent of any interest therein for the time being held otherwise than by or on behalf of the Crown.

(3) In this section the expression " Crown land " has the same meaning as in section 199 of the principal Act.

PART VI — Miscellaneous Changes in Planning Law

Planning Inquiry Commissions

Constitution of Planning Inquiry Commissions.

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(1) The Minister may constitute a Planning Inquiry Commission to inquire into and report on any matter referred to them under section 62 below.

(2) Any such commission shall consist of a chairman and not less than two nor more than four other members appointed by the Minister.

(3) The Minister may pay to the members of any such commission such remuneration and allowances as he may with the consent of the Treasury determine, and may provide for each such commission such officers or servants, and such accommodation, as appears to him expedient to provide for the purpose of assisting the commission in the discharge of their functions.

(4) The validity of any proceedings of any such commission shall not be affected by any vacancy among the members of the commission or by any defect in the appointment of any member.

(5) In Part II of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 (commissions, tribunals and other bodies all members of which are disqualified under that Act), in its application to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the following entry shall be inserted at the appropriate place in alphabetical order:—

A Planning Inquiry Commission constituted under Part VI of the Town and Country Planning Act 1968

(6) The " Minister ", in relation to any matter affecting both England and Wales, means in subsections (1) and (2) above the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Wales acting jointly, and in subsection (3) above one of those Ministers authorised by the other to act on behalf of both of them for the purposes of that subsection.

References to a Planning Inquiry Commission.

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(1) The following matters may, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) below, be referred to a Planning Inquiry Commission, that is to say—

(a) an application for planning permission which the Minister has under section 22 of the principal Act directed to be referred to him instead of being dealt with by a local planning authority ;

(b) an appeal under section 23 of that Act (appeals to the Minister against planning decisions) as originally enacted or as applied by or under any other provision of that Act;

(c) a proposal that a government department should give a direction under section 41 of that Act that planning permission shall be deemed to be granted for development by a local authority or by statutory undertakers which is required by any enactment to be authorised by that department;

(d) a proposal that development should be carried out by or on behalf of a government department.

(2) Any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1) above may be referred to any such commission under this section if it appears expedient to the responsible Minister or Ministers that the question whether the proposed development should be permitted to be carried out should be the subject of a special inquiry on either or both of the following grounds:—

(a) there are considerations of national or regional importance which are relevant to the determination of that question and require evaluation, but a proper evaluation thereof cannot be made unless there is a special inquiry for the purpose ;

(b) the technical or scientific aspects of the proposed development are of so unfamiliar a character as to jeopardise a proper determination of that question unless there is a special inquiry for the purpose.

(3) Two or more of the matters mentioned in subsection (1) above may be referred to the same commission under this section if it appears to the responsible Minister or Ministers that they relate to proposals to carry out development for similar purposes on different sites.

(4) Where a matter referred to a commission under this section relates to a proposal to carry out development for any purpose at a particular site, the responsible Minister or Ministers may also refer to the commission the question whether development for that purpose should instead be carried out at an alternative site.

(5) The responsible Minister or Ministers shall, on referring a matter to a commission under this section, state in the reference the reasons therefor and may draw the attention of the commission to any points which seem to him or them to be relevant to their inquiry.

(6) A commission inquiring into a matter referred to them under this section shall—

(a) identify and investigate the considerations relevant to, or the technical or scientific aspects of, that matter which in their opinion are relevant to the question whether the proposed development should be permitted to be carried out and assess the importance to be attached to those considerations or aspects;

(b) thereafter, if the applicant, in the case of a matter mentioned in subsection (1) (a), (b) or (c) above, or the local planning authority in any case so desire, afford to each of them, and, in the case of an application or appeal mentioned in the said subsection (1)(a) or (b), to any person who has made representations relating to the subject matter of the application or appeal which the authority are required to take into account under section 17(2) or (3) of the principal Act, an opportunity of appearing before and being heard by one or more members of the commission ;

(7) Any such commission may, with the approval of the Minister and at his expense, arrange for the carrying out (whether by the commission themselves or by others) of research of any kind appearing to them to be relevant to a matter referred to them for inquiry and report.

In this subsection " the Minister ", in relation to any matter affecting both England and Wales, means the Minister of Housing and Local Government or the Secretary of State acting in either case, by arrangements between the two of them, on behalf of both.

(8) Sections 22(5) and 23(5) of the principal Act (duty of Minister to afford parties a hearing in cases of called-in applications for planning permission and appeals), and sections 21(6) and 22(4) of this Act, shall not apply to an application for planning permission or an appeal referred to a commission under subsection (1) above.

(9) Schedule 6 to this Act shall have effect for the construction of references in this section and section 63 below to " the responsible Minister or Ministers ".

Procedure on a reference to a Planning Inquiry Commission.

63

(1) A reference to a Planning Inquiry Commission of a proposal that development should be carried out by or on behalf of a government department may be made at any time and a reference of any other matter mentioned in section 62 above may be made at any time before, but not after, the determination of the relevant application referred under section 22 of the principal Act or the relevant appeal under section 23 of that Act or, as the case may be, the giving of the relevant direction under section 41 of that Act, notwithstanding that an inquiry or other hearing has been held into the proposal by a person appointed by any Minister for the purpose.

(2) Notice of the making of a reference to any such commission shall be published in the prescribed manner, and a copy of the notice shall be served on the local planning authority for the area in which it is proposed that the relevant development shall be carried out, and—

(a) in the case of an application for planning permission referred under section 22 of the principal Act or an appeal under section 23 of that Act, on the applicant and any person who has made representations relating to the subject matter of the application or appeal which the authority are required to take into account under section 17(2) or (3) of the principal Act;

(b) in the case of a proposal that a direction should be given under section 41 of that Act with respect to any development, on the local authority or statutory undertakers applying for authorisation to carry out that development.

(3) A Planning Inquiry Commission shall, for the purpose of complying with section 62(6)(b) above, hold a local inquiry; and they may hold such an inquiry, if they think it necessary for the proper discharge of their functions, notwithstanding that neither the applicant nor the local planning authority desire an opportunity of appearing and being heard.

(4) Where a Planning Inquiry Commission are to hold a local inquiry under subsection (3) above in connection with a matter referred to them, and it appears to the responsible Minister or Ministers, in the case of some other matter falling to be determined by a Minister of the Crown and required or authorised by an enactment other than this section to be the subject of a local inquiry, that the two matters are so far cognate that they should be considered together, he or, as the case may be, they may direct that the two inquiries be held concurrently or combined as one inquiry.

(5) An inquiry held by such a commission under this section shall be treated for the purposes of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1958 as one held by a Minister in pursuance of a duty imposed by a statutory provision.

(6) Subsections (2) to (5) of section 290 of the Local Government Act 1933 (evidence and costs at local inquiries) shall apply in relation to an inquiry held under subsection (3) above as they apply in relation to an inquiry caused to be held by a department under subsection (1) of that section with the substitution for references to a department (other than the first reference in subsection (4)) of references to the responsible Minister or Ministers.

(7) Subject to the provisions of this section and to any directions given to them by the responsible Minister or Ministers, a Planning Inquiry Commission shall have power to regulate their own procedure.

Delegation of planning functions

Delegation of planning functions to officers of local authorities.

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(1) A local planning authority may delegate to any officer of the authority the function of determining all or any, or a specified class, of the following applications, that is to say—

(a) an application for planning permission under Part III of the principal Act;

(b) an application for consent under an order under section 29 of that Act to the cutting down, topping, lopping or destruction of trees;

(d) an application for a determination under section 43 of that Act of the questions whether the carrying out of operations on land or the making of any change in the use of land constitutes or involves development of the land and, if so, whether an application for planning permission in respect thereof is required having regard to the provisions of the development order ;

(e) an application for an established use certificate under section 17 of this Act;

(f) an application for an approval required by a development order or by a condition imposed on the grant of planning permission.

(2) A local authority to whom the function of determining any such application as is referred to in subsection (1) above is delegated under section 3 of the principal Act may delegate either—

(a) to an officer of theirs ; or

(b) with the consent of the local planning authority, to an officer of that authority,

the function of determining all or any, or a specified class, of those applications.

(3) A delegation made by a local authority under this section to an officer of theirs or of another local authority—

(a) shall be made to the officer by name ;

(b) may be made with or without restrictions or conditions ;

(c) may be withdrawn at any time by the delegating authority (either generally or in respect of a particular application), without prejudice to anything previously done by the officer thereunder ; and

(d) shall, in the case of a delegation under subsection (2)(b) above, be treated as withdrawn if the consent of the local planning authority under that paragraph is withdrawn.

(4) Where a local authority have under this section delegated to an officer of theirs or of another local authority the function of determining applications, and the officer so requests in the case of any application specified by him, the delegating authority shall themselves, instead of him, determine the application.

(5) Where any functions have under this section been delegated to an officer of a local authority, any determination by him of such an application as is referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall, if it is notified in writing to the applicant, be treated for all purposes as a determination of the delegating authority.

(6) Where an action has been brought against an officer of a local authority in respect of an act done by him in the discharge or purported discharge of functions delegated to him under this section and the circumstances are such that he is not legally entitled to require the delegating authority to indemnify him, that authority may nevertheless indemnify him against the whole or part of any damages and costs which he may have been ordered to pay or may have incurred, if they are satisfied that he honestly believed that the act complained of was done in the discharge of those functions and that his duty required or entitled him to do it.

(7) In relation to any functions delegated under this section by a local authority to an officer of theirs or of another local authority, any reference to the local planning authority in any enactment relating to those functions shall (subject to the terms of the delegation and so far as the context does not otherwise require) be construed as including a reference to that officer.

Duration of planning permission

Limit of duration of planning permissions past and future.

65

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, every planning permission granted or deemed to have been granted before the commencement of this section shall, if the development to which it relates has not been begun before the beginning of 1968, be deemed to have been granted subject to a condition that the development must be begun not later than the expiration of five years beginning with the said commencement.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, every planning permission granted or deemed to be granted after the commencement of this section shall be granted or, as the case may be, be deemed to be granted, subject to the condition that the development to which it relates must be begun not later than the expiration of—

(a) five years begirming with the date on which the permission is granted or, as the case may be, deemed to be granted ; or

(b) such other period (whether longer or shorter) beginning with the said date as the authority concerned with the terms of the planning permission may direct, being a period which the authority consider appropriate having regard to the provisions of the development plan and to any other material considerations.

(3) If after the commencement of this section planning permission is granted without the condition required by subsection (2) above, it shall be deemed to have been granted subject to the condition that the development to which it relates must be begun not later than the expiration of five years beginning with the date of the grant.

(4) Nothing in this section applies—

(a) to any outline planning permission, as defined by section 66 below;

(b) to any planning permission granted by a development order;

(c) to any planning permission which was granted or deemed to be granted, before the commencement of this section, subject to an express condition that the development to which it relates should be begun, or be completed, not later than a specified date or within a specified period;

(d) to any planning permission granted for a limited period (within the meaning of section 18 of the principal Act); or

(e) to any planning permission granted under section 20 of the principal Act on an application relating to buildings or works completed, or a use of land instituted, before the date of the application.

Outline planning permissions.

66

(1) In this section and section 65 above, " outline planning permission " means planning permission granted, in accordance with the provisions of a development order, with the reservation for subsequent approval by the local planning authority or the Minister of matters (referred to in this section as " reserved matters ") not particularised in the application.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, where before the commencement of this section outline planning permission has been granted for development consisting in or including the carrying out of building or other operations, and the development has not been begun before the beginning of 1968, that planning permission shall be deemed to have been granted subject to conditions to the following effect:—

(a) that, in the case of any reserved matter, application for approval must be made not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of the commencement of this section ; and

(b) that the development to which the permission relates must be begun not later than whichever is the later of the following dates,—

(i) the expiration of five years from the date of the commencement of this section ; or

(ii) the expiration of two years from the final approval of the reserved matters or, in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last such matter to be approved.

(3) Subection (2) above shall not apply to a planning permission granted before the commencement of this section subject to an express condition that the development to which it relates should be begun, or be completed, or that application for approval of any reserved matter should be made, not later than a specified date or within a specified period.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this section, where outline planning permission is granted after the commencement of this section for such development as is referred to in subsection (2) above, it shall be granted subject to conditions to the following effect:—

(a) that, in the case of any reserved matter, application for approval must be made not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of the grant of outline planning permission ; and

(b) that the development to which the permission relates must be begun not later than whichever is the later of the following dates,—

(i) the expiration of five years from the date of the grant of outline planning permission ; or

(ii) the expiration of two years from the final approval of the reserved matters or, in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last such matter to be approved.

(5) If after the commencement of this section outline planning permission is granted without the conditions required by subsection (4) above, it shall be deemed to have been granted subject to those conditions.

(6) The authority concerned with the terms of an outline planning permission may, in applying subsection (4) above, substitute, or direct that there be substituted, for the periods of three years, five years or two years referred to in that subsection such other periods respectively (whether longer or shorter) as they consider appropriate.

(7) The said authority may, in applying the said subsection, specify, or direct that there be specified, separate periods under paragraph (a) of the subsection in relation to separate parts of the development to which the planning permission relates ; and, if they do so, the condition required by paragraph (b) of the subsection shall then be framed correspondingly by reference to those parts, instead of by reference to the development as a whole.

(8) In considering whether to exercise their powers under subsections (6) and (7) above, the said authority shall have regard to the provisions of the development plan and to any other material considerations.

Provisions supplementary to ss.65 and 66.

67

(1) For the purposes of sections 65 and 66 above, development shall be taken to be begun on the earliest date on which any specified operation (as defined in section 64(3) of the Land Commission Act 1967) comprised in the development begins to be carried out.

(2) The authority referred to in section 65(2)(b) and section 66(6) above is the local planning authority or the Minister, in the case of planning permission granted by them, and—

(a) in the case of planning permission granted by an order under section 28 of the principal Act (requirement of discontinuance of use of land or alteration or removal of buildings or works) is the local planning authority making the order or, where the Minister in confirming the order exercises his powers under section 28(5) of that Act, the Minister ;

(b) in the case of planning permission under section 41 of the principal Act (grant by direction of a government department) is the department on whose direction planning permission is deemed to be granted.

(3) For the purposes of section 66(2) and (4) above, a reserved matter shall be treated as finally approved when an application for approval is granted or, in a case where the application is made to the local planning authority and there is an appeal to the Minister against the authority's decision on the application and the Minister grants the approval, on the date of the determination of the appeal.

(4) Where after the commencement of sections 65 and 66 above a local planning authority grant planning permission, the fact that any of the conditions of the permission are required by this Act to be imposed, or are deemed by this Act to be imposed, shall not prevent the conditions being the subject of an appeal under section 23 of the principal Act against the decision of the authority.

(5) Section 18(3) of the principal Act (planning permission not to be taken as authorising operations carried out after the time limited in that behalf by the permission) shall not have effect in relation to a planning permission having conditions attached to it by or under section 65(1), (2) or (3) or section 66(2), (4) or (5) above; but in the case of such a planning permission (whether outline or other),—

(a) development carried out after the date by which the conditions of the permission require it to be carried out shall be treated as not authorised by the permission; and

(b) an application for approval of a reserved matter, if it is made after the date by which the conditions require it to be made, shall be treated as not made in accordance with the terms of the permission.

(6) Compensation under Part VI of the principal Act shall not be payable in respect of the application to any planning permission of any of the conditions referred to in sections 65 and 66 of this Act.

(7) The said conditions shall be disregarded for the purposes—

(a) of section 123 of the principal Act (compensation for planning decisions restricting development);

(b) of section 129 of that Act (right of landowner to serve purchase notice, where he claims that the land has become incapable of reasonably beneficial use on account of the refusal of planning permission or the imposition of conditions); and

Termination of planning permission by reference to time limit.

68

(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect where, by virtue of section 65 or 66 above, a planning permission (whether granted before or after the commencement of those sections) is subject to a condition that the development to which the permission relates must be begun before the expiration of a particular period and that development has been begun within that period but the period has elapsed without the development having been completed.

(2) If the local planning authority are of opinion that the development will not be completed within a reasonable period, they may serve a notice (hereafter in this section referred to as a " completion notice ") stating that the planning permission will cease to have effect at the expiration of a further period specified in the notice, being a period of not less than twelve months after the notice takes effect.

(3) A completion notice—

(a) shall be served on the owner and occupier of the land and on any other person who in the opinion of the local planning authority will be affected by the notice; and

(b) shall take effect only if and when it is confirmed by the Minister, who may in confirming it substitute some longer period for that specified in the notice as the period at the expiration of which the planning permission is to to cease to have effect.

(4) If, within such period as may be specified in a completion notice (not being less than twenty-eight days from the service thereof) any person on whom the notice is served so requires, the Minister before confirming the notice shall afford to that person and to the local planning authority an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed by the Minister for the purpose.

(5) If a completion notice takes effect, the planning permission therein referred to shall at the expiration of the period specified in the notice, whether the original period specified under subsection (2) above or a longer period substituted by the Minister under subsection (3) above, be invalid except so far as it authorises any development carried out thereunder up to the end of that period.

(6) The local planning authority may withdraw a completion notice at any time before the expiration of the period specified therein as the period at the expiration of which the planning permission is to cease to have effect; and if they do so they shall forthwith give notice of the withdrawal to every person who was served with the completion notice.

Statutory undertakers

New provision as to what is " operational land " of statutory undertakers.

69

(1) Where an interest in land is held by statutory undertakers for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking and—

(a) the interest was acquired by them after the commencement of this section ; or

(b) it was held by them immediately before that commencement, but the circumstances were then such that the land did not fall to be treated as operational land for the purposes of the principal Act,

then the following subsection shall have effect for the purpose of determining whether the land is to be so treated and shall so have effect notwithstanding the definition of " operational land " in section 221(1) of the principal Act.

(2) The land shall not be treated as operational land for the purposes of the principal Act unless one or both of the following conditions are satisfied with respect to it, namely—

(a) there is, or at some time has been, in force with respect to the land a specific planning permission for its development and that development, if carried out, would involve or have involved the use of the land for the purpose of the carrying on of the statutory undertakers' undertaking; or

(b) the undertakers' interest in the land was acquired by them as the result of a transfer under provisions of the Transport Act 1968 from other statutory undertakers and the land was, immediately before the transfer, operational land of those other undertakers.

(3) A specific planning permission for the purpose of subsection (2)(a) above is a planning permission—

(a) granted on an application in that behalf under Part III of the principal Act or the enactments previously in force and replaced by that Part of that Act; or

(b) granted by provisions of a development order granting planning permission generally for development which has received specific parliamentary approval; or

(d) deemed to be granted by virtue of a direction of a government department under section 41 of the principal Act or section 35 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 ;

and the reference in paragraph (b) of this subsection to development which has received specific parliamentary approval shall be construed as referring to development authorised by a local or private Act of Parliament or by an order approved by both Houses of Parliament or by an order which has been brought into operation in accordance with the provisions of the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945, being an Act or order which designates specifically both the nature of the development thereby authorised and the land upon which it may be carried out.

Planning applications and appeals by statutory undertakers.

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(1) In the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) below, section 159(1) of the principal Act (statutory undertakers' planning applications and appeals, if in respect of operational land, to be dealt with by Ministers) shall apply to an application or appeal by statutory undertakers in respect of land which is not operational land as it applies to an application or appeal in respect of land which is.

(2) The said circumstances are that—

(a) an interest in the land in question is held by the undertakers with a view to its being used for the purpose of carrying on their undertaking ; or

(b) it is land in which they propose to acquire an interest with a view to its being so used,

and (in either case) the planning permission, if granted on the application or appeal, would be for development involving the use of the land for that purpose.

(3) The following provisions of the principal Act (being provisions which require certain planning decisions and orders affecting statutory undertakers to be subject to special parliamentary procedure) shall cease to have effect:—

(a) section 159(2) (decision on planning application in respect of operational land or appeal thereon), except as respects an application for planning permission made before the commencement of this section or an appeal from the decision on an application so made ;

(b) section 160(1) (decision of a government department refusing, or attaching conditions to, statutory authorisation for development), except as respects a decision made before that commencement;

(c) section 161(2) (order revoking or modifying planning permission in respect of operational land), except as respects an order of which notice has been given under that subsection before that commencement;

(d) section 162(2) (order requiring discontinuance of use etc. of operational land), except as respects an order of which notice has been given under that subsection before that commencement;

(e) section 163(3)(b) (compulsory purchase order with respect to land acquired by statutory undertakers for the purpose of their undertaking), except as respects an order made or confirmed before that commencement; and

(f) section 165(3) (order extinguishing a right of way or rights of statutory undertakers in respect of apparatus under certain land), except as respects an order made before that commencement.

Restriction on entitlement of statutory undertakers to compensation for adverse planning decisions.

71

(1) Except as provided by subsection (2) below, statutory undertakers shall not be entitled to compensation in respect of a decision mentioned in section 170(1)(a) or (b) of the principal Act (right to compensation in respect of certain decisions and orders) where that decision is made after the commencement of this section.

(2) Subsection (1) above shall not apply to compensation in respect of a decision made in accordance with section 159 of the principal Act refusing planning permission for the development of operational land, or granting such permission subject to conditions, where—

(a) planning permission for that development would have been granted by a development order but for a direction given under such an order that planning permission so granted should not apply to the development; and

(b) it is not development which has received specific parliamentary approval (within the meaning given to that expression by section 69(3) of this Act).

(3) Section 119 of the principal Act (compensation on refusal of planning permission or its grant subject to conditions) shall not apply in relation to planning permission for the development of operational land of statutory undertakers.

Modifications of s.164 of principal Act.

72

(1) Section 164 of the principal Act (power of Minister, local planning authority or statutory undertakers, on acquisition or appropriation of land for development, by service of notice to secure extinguishment of statutory undertakers' rights over the land or the removal of their apparatus) shall be amended in accordance with this section.

(2) A notice under that section shall not be served by the acquiring or appropriating authority unless they are satisfied that the extmguishment of the statutory undertakers' right or, as the case may be, the removal of their apparatus, is necessary for the purpose of carrying out any development with a view to which the land was acquired or appropriated.

(3) The period referred to in subsection (1) of the said section (that is to say the period to be specified in a notice under the section as the period at the end of which the statutory undertakers' right will be extinguished or, as the case may be, before the end of which their apparatus shall be removed) shall be a period of not less than twenty-eight days from the date of service of the notice.

Notice for same purposes as s. 164, but given by statutory undertakers to developing authority.

73

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, where land has been acquired or appropriated as mentioned in section 164(1) of the principal Act, and—

(a) there is on, under or over the land any apparatus vested in or belonging to statutory undertakers; and

(b) the undertakers claim that development to be carried out on the land is such as to require, on technical or other grounds connected with the carrying on of their undertaking, the removal or re-siting of the apparatus affected by the development,

the undertakers may serve on the acquiring or appropriating authority a notice claiming the right to enter on the land and carry out such works for the removal or re-siting of the apparatus or any part of it as may be specified in the notice.

(2) Where, after the land has been acquired or appropriated as aforesaid, development of the land is begun to be carried out, no notice under this section shall be served later than twenty-one days after the beginning of the development.

(3) Where a notice is served under this section, the authority on whom it is served may, before the end of the period of twenty-eight days from the date of service, serve on the statutory undertakers a counter-notice stating that they object to all or any of the provisions of the notice and specifying the grounds of their objection.

(4) If no counter-notice is served under subsection (3) above, the statutory undertakers shall, after the end of the period of twenty-eight days therein mentioned, have the rights claimed in their notice.

(5) If a counter-notice is served under subsection (3) above, the statutory undertakers who served the notice under this section may either withdraw it or may apply to the Minister and the appropriate Minister for an order under this section conferring on the undertakers the rights claimed in the notice or such modified rights as the Minister and the appropriate Minister think it expedient to confer on them.

(6) Where, by virtue of this section or of an order of Ministers thereunder, statutory undertakers have the right to execute works for the removal or re-siting of apparatus, they may arrange with the acquiring or appropriating authority for the works to be carried out by that authority, under the superintendence of the undertakers, instead of by the undertakers themselves.

(7) Where works are carried out for the removal or re-siting of statutory undertakers' apparatus, being works which the undertakers have the right to carry out by virtue of this section or an order of Ministers thereunder, the undertakers shall be entitled to compensation from the acquiring or appropriating authority ; and the amount of the compensation shall be an amount calculated in accordance with subsections (2) to (4) of section 171 of the principal Act but reduced, in a case where the authority carry out the works, by the actual cost to the authority of doing so.

(8) In subsections (2) to (4) of section 171 of the principal Act, as they apply for the purposes of this section, any reference to " the proceeding giving rise to compensation " shall, instead of being construed in accordance with subsection (5) of that section, be construed as a reference to the circumstances making it necessary for the apparatus in question to be removed or re-sited.

General planning control

Expansion of building below ground to constitute development.

74

Notwithstanding anything in section 12 (2) (a) of the principal Act (carrying out of works for the maintenance, improvement or other alteration of a building not to constitute development if it is wholly internal or does not materially affect the building's external appearance) the carrying out of works for the alteration of any building by providing additional space therein below ground shall, if begun after the commencement of this section, be treated for the purposes of the principal Act as involving development.

Modification of transitory exemptions based on pre-1948 use.

75

(1) Section 13(2) of the principal Act (exemption from requirement of planning permission for resumption of normal use before the original appointed day) and section 13(4) of that Act (the same as to resumption of use of land which on that day was unoccupied) shall not have effect as respects any use of land begun or resumed after the commencement of this section.

(2) In the case of land which on the original appointed day was normally used for one purpose and was also used on occasions for another purpose, section 13(3) of the principal Act (exemption from requirement of planning permission for resumption of previous occasional use) shall, as respects any use of the land for the other purpose after the commencement of this section, apply only if the land has, since the original appointed day, been used for the other purpose on at least one similar occasion before the beginning of 1968.

(3) In applying section 13(5), (6) and (8) of the principal Act (factors relevant for determining whether planning permission is required for resumption of use following the expiration of a limited planning permission), no account shall be taken of any contravention of previous planning control other than contravention of the provisions of Part III of the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 ; and accordingly—

(a) in both section 13(6) and 13(8), for the words " or in contravention of previous planning control " there shall be substituted the words " or in contravention of the provisions of Part III of the Act of 1947 "; and

(b) section 13(10) shall cease to have effect.

(4) Section 13(9) of the principal Act (planning permission not required, where land has been developed without such permission, for a use of the land which would have been lawful apart from the development) shall not apply to any use of land which, by the operation of this section, has become unlawful without planning permission.

(5) In this section " the original appointed day " means the appointed day for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, that is to say 1st July 1948.

Posting of site notice prior to planning application.

76

(1) An application for planning permission for development of any class to which section 15 of the principal Act (certain classes of planning application, prescribed by development order, to be supported by evidence of prior publicity) applies shall not be entertained by the local planning authority unless it is accompanied by one or other of the following certificates, signed by or on behalf of the applicant, that is to say—

(a) a certificate stating that he has complied with subsection (2) of this section and when he did so; or

(b) a certificate stating that he has been unable to comply with it because he has not such rights of access or other rights in respect of the land as would enable him to do so, but that he has taken such reasonable steps as are open to him (specifying them) to acquire those rights and has been unable to acquire them.

(2) In order to comply with this subsection a person must—

(a) post on the land a notice, in such form as may be prescribed by a development order, stating that the application for planning permission is to be made; and

(b) leave the notice in position for not less than seven days; in a period of not more than one month immediately preceding the making of the application to the local planning authority.

(3) The said notice must be posted by affixing it firmly to some object on the land, and must be sited and displayed in such a way as to be easily visible and legible by members of the public without going on the land.

(4) The applicant shall not be treated as unable to comply with subsection (2) of this section if the notice is, without any fault or intention of his, removed, obscured or defaced before the seven days referred to in subsection (2) (b) above have elapsed, so long as he has taken reasonable steps for its protection and, if need be, replacement; and, if he has cause to rely on this subsection, his certificate under subsection (1) above shall state the relevant circumstances.

(5) The notice required by subsection (2) of this section shall (in addition to any other matters required to be contained therein) name a place within the locality where a copy of the application for planning permission, and of all plans and other documents submitted therewith, will be open to inspection by the public at all reasonable hours during such period as may be specified in the notice, not being a period of less than twenty-one days beginning with the date on which the notice is first posted.

(6) If any person issues a certificate which purports to comply with the requirements of this section and which contains a statement which he knows to be false and misleading in a material particular, or recklessly issues a certificate which purports to comply with those requirements and which contains a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

(7) Any certificate issued for the purpose of this section shall be in such form as may be prescribed by a development order.

Extension of s.19 of principal Act with respect to development affecting trunk and special roads.

77

In section 19(2) of the principal Act (power to provide by a development order for regulating the manner in which applications for planning permission are to be dealt with by local planning authorities and, in particular, for enabling the Minister of Transport to restrict the grant of planning permission for development affecting roads) the reference in paragraph (a) to development falling within subsection (3) of the section shall include, and be deemed always to have included, a reference to development of or affecting land on which the Minister of Transport or, in relation to Wales, the Secretary of State proposes to provide a trunk road or a special road, being a road the route of which is shown as such in the development plan or in the case of which the Minister or Secretary of State (as the case may be) has given to the local planning authority written notice of his intention to provide the road, together with maps or plans sufficient to identify the proposed route of the road.

Local register of planning applications.

78

A development order may make provision for the register of planning applications kept by a local planning authority under section 19(4) of the principal Act to be kept in two or more parts, each part containing such information relating to applications for planning permission made to the authority as may be prescribed by the order, and may also make provision—

(a) for a specified part of the register to contain copies of applications and of any plans or drawings submitted therewith; and

(b) for the entry relating to any application, and everything relating thereto, to be removed from that part of the register when the application (including any appeal arising out of it) has been finally disposed of, without prejudice to the inclusion of any different entry relating thereto in another part of the register.

Reference to Minister of application for approval under outline planning permission.

79

The power of the Minister to give directions under section 22 of the principal Act, requiring applications for planning permission to be referred to him instead of being dealt with by the local planning authority, shall be exercisable also in relation to applications for any approval of an authority required under a development order, and references to applications in subsections (2), (3), (5) and (6) of that section shall be construed accordingly.

Unopposed revocation or modification of planning permission.

80

(1) The following provisions shall have effect where the local planning authority have made an order under section 27 of the principal Act (revocation or modification of planning permission) but have not submitted the order to the Minister for confirmation by him, and—

(a) the owner and the occupier of the land and all persons who in the authority's opinion will be affected by the order have notified the authority in writing that they do not object to the order ; and

(b) it appears to the authority that no claim for compensation is likely to arise under section 118 of the principal Act on account of the order.

(2) The authority shall advertise in the prescribed manner the fact that the order has been made, and the advertisement shall specify—

(a) the period (not less than twenty-eight days from the date on which the advertisement first appears) within which persons affected by the order may give notice to the Minister that they wish for an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed by the Minister for the purpose ; and

(b) the period (not less than fourteen days from the expiration of the period referred to in paragraph (a) above) at the expiration of which, if no such notice is given to the Minister, the order may take effect by virtue of this section and without being confirmed by the Minister.

(3) The authority shall also serve notice to the same effect on the persons mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above, and the notice shall include a statement of the effect of subsection (7) of this section.

(4) The authority shall send a copy of any advertisement published under subsection (2) above to the Minister, not more than three days after the publication.

(5) If within the period referred to in subsection (2)(a) above no person claiming to be affected by the order has given notice to the Minister as aforesaid, and the Minister has not directed that the order be submitted to him for confirmation, the order shall, at the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (2) (b) of this section, take effect by virtue of this section and without being confirmed by the Minister as required by section 27(2) of the principal Act.

(6) This section does not apply to an order revoking or modifying a planning permission granted or deemed to have been granted by the Minister under Part III or Part IV of the principal Act or under Part II or Part V of this Act; nor does it apply to an order modifying any conditions to which a planning permission is subject by virtue of section 65 or 66 of this Act.

(7) No compensation shall be payable under section 118 of the principal Act in respect of an order under section 27 of that Act which takes effect by virtue of this section and without being confirmed by the Minister.

Procedure in connection with making and confirmation of tree preservation orders.

81

(1) The provisions which may by virtue of subsection (1)(c) of section 29 of the principal Act (tree preservation orders) be applied by such an order in relation to any consent thereunder shall include section 80 of this Act.

(2) Regulations made by virtue of section 29(5) of the principal Act may (without prejudice to the generality of that subsection) make provision as follows :—

(a) that, before a tree preservation order is submitted to the Minister for confirmation, notice of the making of the order shall be given to the owners and occupiers of land affected by the order and to such other persons, if any, as may be specified in the regulations ;

(b) that objections and representations with respect to the order, if duly made in accordance with the regulations, shall be considered before the order is confirmed by the Minister;

(c) that, if no objections or representations are so made, or if any so made are withdrawn, the order, instead of requiring the confirmation of the Minister in accordance with section 29(4) of the principal Act, may be confirmed (but without any modification), as an unopposed order, by the authority who made it; and

(d) that copies of the order, when confirmed by the Minister or the authority, shall be served on such persons as may be specified in the regulations.

Notice by Minister to planning authority when exercising default powers.

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(1) The Minister, where he proposes under section 207 of the principal Act (default powers) to make an order—

(a) under section 27 of that Act (revocation or modification of planning permission), or under the provisions of that section as applied by any order or regulations made under Part III of that Act; or

(b) under section 28 of that Act (discontinuance of specified use of land or alteration or removal of buildings or works),

shall serve a notice of the proposal on the local planning authority; and if within such period as may be specified in the notice (not less than twenty-eight days from the date of service) the authority so require, the Minister before making the order shall afford to the authority an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed by him for the purpose.

(2) The obligation of the Minister to serve a notice under this section shall be without prejudice to any requirements of Part III of the principal Act, or' regulations made thereunder, having effect by virtue of section 207(3) of that Act (requirements as to notice etc., where Minister acts in place of local planning authority).

Control of office development

Partial abrogation of dual control of office development.

83

(1) Without prejudice to section 23 of the Industrial Development Act 1966 (restrictions or conditions which may be attached to industrial development certificates issued by the Board of Trade under section 38 of the principal Act) the conditions which the Board of Trade may under that section attach to an industrial development certificate shall include conditions restricting the amount of office floor space to be contained in any building which is the subject of the development, or precluding it from containing any office floor space; and the conditions may be framed so as to apply (either or both) to the building as originally erected or as subsequently extended or altered.

(2) Notwithstanding section 5(1) of the Control of Office and Industrial Development Act 1965 (of which the effect is that an industrial development certificate under section 38 of the principal Act as well as an office development permit under section 1(3) of the said Act of 1965 is required in support of an application for planning permission for development which is not only industrial but involves the provision of office premises), compliance with the said section 1(3) shall not be required in respect of an application for planning permission for industrial development to which this section applies, where there has been issued by the Board of Trade and furnished to the local planning authority with the application a copy of an industrial development certificate with conditions attached thereto by virtue of subsection (1) above.

(3) The said Act of 1965 is hereafter in this Act referred to as " the Act of 1965

(4) In this section, " industrial development " means the development of land in any manner specified in section 38(1) of the principal Act (requirement of Board of Trade industrial development certificate to support application for planning permission for development involving provision of industrial building or change in the use of premises so that a building becomes industrial); and this section applies to industrial development only if there will result therefrom no office premises except such as are comprised within the curtilage of an industrial building and are used or designed for use for providing services or facilities ancillary to the use of other premises in the same building or curtilage.

(5) Development in respect of which there has been issued by the Board of Trade an industrial development certificate with conditions attached thereto by virtue of subsection (1) of this section shall be treated as not included in any reference to " related development " in section 2 of the Act of 1965 (which makes an office development permit unnecessary if the amount of office floor space to be created is below the prescribed exemption limit, but for this purpose requires that space to be aggregated with office floor space created, or to be created, in the course of other development affecting the same building or site).

Modifications of section 7 of 1965 Act.

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