New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968

New towns and their development corporations

1 Designation of site of new town

(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied, after consultation with any local authorities who appear to him to be concerned, that it is expedient in the national interest that any area of land should be developed as a new town by a corporation established under this Act, he may make an order designating that area as the site of the proposed new town.

(2) An order under this section may include in the area designated as the site of the proposed new town any existing town or other centre of population; and references in this Act to a new town or proposed new town shall be construed accordingly.

(3) The provisions of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the procedure to be followed in connection with the making of orders under this section and with respect to the validity and date of operation of such orders.

(4) As soon as may be after an order under this section becomes operative, the Secretary of State shall record it in the Register of Sasines.

(5) Section 10(4) of this Act applies where it is proposed to make an order under this section.

(6) Section 46(5) of this Act applies to any order under this section which designates an area as the site of a proposed new town, and to certain orders for extending the area of a new town.

2 Establishment of development corporation for new town

(1) For the purposes of the development of each new town the site of which is designated under section 1 of this Act, the Secretary of State shall by order establish a corporation (in this Act called a development corporation) consisting of a chairman, a deputy chairman and such number of other members, not exceeding seven, as may be prescribed by the order; and every such corporation shall be a body corporate by such name as may be prescribed by the order, with perpetual succession and a common seal.

(2) The provisions of Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the constitution and proceedings of any development corporation established under this Act.

(3) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as exempting a development corporation from liability for any tax, duty, rate, levy or other charge whatsoever, whether general or local.

3 Objects and general powers of development corporation

(1) The objects of a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town shall be to secure the laying out and development of the new town in accordance with proposals approved in that behalf under the following provisions of this Act.

(2) Subject to section 4 of this Act, every such corporation shall, for the purpose of securing the laying out and development of the new town as aforesaid, have power—

(a) to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land and other property;

(b) to carry out building and other operations ;

(c) to provide water, electricity, gas, sewerage and other services;

(d) to carry on any business or undertaking in or for the purposes of the new town,

and generally to do anything necessary or expedient for the purposes of the new town or for purposes incidental thereto.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred on development corporations by this Act, a development corporation—

(a) may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, contribute such sums as the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Treasury, may determine towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred by any local authority or statutory undertakers in the performance, in relation to the new town, of any of their statutory functions, including expenditure so incurred in the acquisition of land ; and

(b) may, with the like consent, contribute such sums as the Secretary of State, with the like concurrence, may determine by way of assistance towards the provision of amenities for the new town.

(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that subsection (2) above relates only to the capacity of a development corporation as a statutory corporation; and nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising the disregard by a development corporation of any enactment or rule of law.

(5) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby also declared—

(a) that the power of acquiring land conferred by subsection (2) above on a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town includes power to acquire any land within the area of the new town, whether or not it is proposed to develop that particular land; and

(b) that the power of disposing of land conferred by that subsection on such a development corporation includes, in relation to any land within the area of the new town, power to dispose of that land whether or not the development of that particular land has been proposed or approved under section 6(1) of this Act.

4 Restrictions on powers of development corporation

(1) A development corporation shall not have power to borrow money except by way of advance from the Secretary of State under this Act.

(2) Without prejudice to any provision of this Act requiring the consent of the Secretary of State to be obtained for anything to be done by a development corporation, the Secretary of State may give directions to any such corporation for restricting the exercise by them of any of their powers under this Act or for requiring them to exercise those powers in any manner specified in the directions.

(3) Before giving any directions to a development corporation under subsection (2) above the Secretary of State shall consult with the chairman of the corporation, or, if the chairman is not available, with the deputy chairman, unless he is satisfied that, on account of urgency, such consultation is impracticable.

(4) A transaction between a person and a development corporation acting in purported exercise of their powers under this Act shall not be void by reason only that it was carried out in contravention of a direction given by the Secretary of State under subsection (2) above unless that person had actual notice of that direction.

(5) Without prejudice to section 3(4) of this Act, nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorising a development corporation to carry on any undertaking for the supply of water, electricity or gas, or any railway, light railway, tramway or trolley vehicle undertaking except under the authority of an enactment not contained in this Act specifically authorising them to do so or, in the case of a trolley vehicle undertaking, under the authority of such an enactment or of an order under section 32 of this Act.

5 Allocation or transfer of new town functions to existing or new development corporation

(1) If it appears to the Secretary of State, in the case of the area of any new town, that there are exceptional circumstances which render it expedient that the functions of a development corporation under this Act should be performed by the development corporation established for the purposes of any other new town instead of by a separate corporation established for the purpose, he may, instead of establishing such a separate corporation, by order direct that the said functions shall be performed by the development corporation established for the said other new town.

(2) If it appears to the Secretary of State that there are exceptional circumstances which render it expedient that the functions of a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town should be transferred to the development corporation established for the purposes of any other new town, or to a new development corporation to be established for the purposes of the first-mentioned new town, he may by order provide for the dissolution of the first-mentioned corporation and for the transfer of its functions, property, rights and liabilities to the development corporation established for the purposes of the said other new town, or, as the case may be, to a new corporation established for the purposes of the first-mentioned new town by the order.

(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act with respect to the variation of orders made thereunder, an order under this section providing for the exercise of functions in relation to a new town by the development corporation established for the purposes of another new town, or for the transfer of such functions to such a corporation, may modify the name and constitution of that corporation in such manner as appears to the Secretary of State to be expedient, and for the purposes of this Act that corporation shall be treated as having been established for the purposes of each of those new towns.

(4) Before making an order under this section providing for the transfer of functions from or to a development corporation or for the exercise of any functions by such a corporation, the Secretary of State shall consult with that corporation.

Planning control in new towns

6 Planning control in new town

(1) The development corporation established for the purposes of a new town shall from time to time submit to the Secretary of State, in accordance with any directions given by him in that behalf, their proposals for the development of land within the area of the new town, and the Secretary of State, after consultation with the local planning authority within whose district the land is situated, and with any other local authority who appear to him to be concerned, may approve any such proposals either with or without modification.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by section 11 of the [1947 c. 53.] Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947, a special development order made by the Secretary of State under that section with respect to the area of a new town may grant permission for any development of land in accordance with proposals approved under subsection (1) above, subject to such conditions, if any (including conditions requiring details of any proposed development to be submitted to the local planning authority), as may be specified in the order.

(3) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to give to a development corporation established under this Act such directions with respect to the disposal of land acquired by them thereunder and with respect to the development by them of such land, as appear to him to be necessary or expedient for securing, so far as practicable, the preservation of any features of special architectural or historic interest, and in particular of buildings included in any list compiled or approved under section 28 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947 (which relates to the compilation or approval by the Secretary of State of lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest).

(4) In the case of land which forms a frontage to a road, or abuts on or is adjacent to a road, a local highway authority or the Secretary of State may enter into an agreement with any owner of the land imposing on the land, so far as that owner's interest in the land enables him to bind it, restrictions for controlling the development of the land.

(5) Any agreement under subsection (4) above may, within three months after the date on which it was entered into, be recorded in the Register of Sasines, and on being so recorded shall be enforceable by the local highway authority or the Secretary of State, as the case may be, against the said owner and against any person deriving title from him.

(6) The provisions of section 174(1) of the [1966 c. 49.] Housing (Scotland) Act 1966 shall apply in relation to any such development as aforesaid, being development carried out by the corporation in accordance with proposals approved by the Secretary of State under subsection (1) of this section, as they apply in relation to things done in pursuance of housing operations to which the said section 174 applies.

Acquisition of land by development corporations and highway authorities

7 Acquisition of land by development corporation

(1) The development corporation established for the purposes of a new town may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, acquire by agreement, or may, by means of an order made by the corporation and submitted to and confirmed by the Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 3 to this Act, be authorised to acquire compulsorily—

(a) any land within the area of the new town, whether or not it is proposed to develop that particular land;

(b) any land adjacent to that area which they require for purposes connected with the development of the new town;

(c) any land, whether adjacent to that area or not, which they require for the provision of services for the purposes of the new town.

(2) A compulsory purchase order under this section shall, in so far as it relates to land—

(a) which is the property of a local authority, or which is held inalienably by the National Trust, or

(b) which forms part of a common or open space,

be subject to the special provisions of Part IV of the said Schedule 3.

(3) Where a development corporation have been authorised under subsection (1) above to acquire compulsorily land forming part of a common or open space, they may be authorised under that subsection to acquire compulsorily, or may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, acquire by agreement, land for giving in exchange for the land acquired.

(4) The provisions of Part V of the said Schedule 3 shall have effect with respect to the validity and date of operation of compulsory purchase orders under this section.

(5) In relation to operational land of statutory undertakers the foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect subject to section 10 of this Act.

8 Acquisition of land for highways in connection with new towns

(1) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the construction or improvement of a road is needed—

(a) outside the area of a new town, for the purpose of securing the development of land in that area in accordance with proposals approved by the Secretary of State under section 6 of this Act, or

(b) for the purpose of providing proper means of access to such an area,

a local highway authority may be authorised, by means of an order made by the authority and submitted to and confirmed by the Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of Parts I and II of Schedule 3 to this Act, to acquire compulsorily any land as to which the Secretary of State is satisfied that its acquisition by the authority is requisite—

(i) for the construction or improvement of the road, or

(ii) for carrying out the improvement, or controlling the development, of frontages to the road or of lands abutting on or adjacent to the road.

(2) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the construction or improvement of a road is needed to supersede a part of a trunk road whose supersession appears to him to be expedient for any such purpose as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) above, he may be authorised, by means of an order made by him in accordance with the provisions of Part III of Schedule 3 to this Act, to acquire compulsorily any land as to which he is satisfied that its acquisition by him is requisite—

(a) for the construction or improvement of the road, or

(b) for carrying out the improvement, or controlling the development, of frontages to the road or of lands abutting on or adjacent to the road.

(3) A compulsory purchase order under this section shall, in so far as it relates to land—

(a) which is the property of a local authority or which is held inalienably by the National Trust, or

(b) which forms part of a common or open space,

be subject to the special provisions of Part IV of the said Schedule 3.

(4) Where an acquiring authority have been authorised under subsection (1) or subsection (2) above to acquire compulsorily land forming part of a common or open space, that authority may be authorised under the same subsection to acquire compulsorily land for giving in exchange for the land acquired.

(5) The provisions of Part V of Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the validity and date of operation of compulsory purchase orders under this section.

(6) A local highway authority may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, acquire by agreement any land which they could be authorised under subsection (1) above to acquire compulsorily.

(7) In relation to operational land of statutory undertakers the foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect subject to section 10 of this Act.

9 Recording of compulsory purchase orders

As soon as may be after a compulsory purchase order under section 7 or 8 of this Act becomes operative, the acquiring authority shall record it in the Register of Sasines.

10 Special procedure for acquisition of statutory undertakers' operational land

(1) In the case of operational land of statutory undertakers—

(a) an order under section 7(1) of this Act authorising the compulsory acquisition of that land by a development corporation, or an order under section 8(1) of this Act authorising its compulsory acquisition by a local highway authority, may, instead of being made and confirmed as provided in the said section 7(1) or 8(1), as the case may be, be made by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act on the application of that development corporation or local highway authority;

(b) an order under section 8(2) of this Act authorising the compulsory acquisition of that land by the Secretary of State may, instead of being made as provided in the said section 8(2), be made by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister in accordance with the provisions of Part II of the said Schedule 4 ;

and in relation to a compulsory purchase order made as provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above the provisions of Parts IV and V of Schedule 3 to this Act shall apply accordingly subject, in the case of the said Part V, to the modifications set out in Part III of Schedule 4 to this Act.

(2) If any objection to an application for a compulsory purchase order to be made in accordance with subsection (1)(a) above, or to a proposal to make such an order in accordance with subsection (1)(b) above, is duly made by any statutory undertakers , and any of the land to which the application or proposal relates is operational land of those undertakers, then, unless that objection is withdrawn, any order made on the application or proposal shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

(3) Where a compulsory purchase order under section 7 or 8 of this Act, not being an order made as provided in subsection (1)(a) or (b) above, is submitted, or is proposed to be made, in accordance with Schedule 3 to this Act, and with respect to any land (being the whole or part of the land to which the order relates) statutory undertakers make to the appropriate Minister, in the prescribed manner and within the time within which objections to the order may be made—

(a) a representation that the first-mentioned land is operational land, and

(b) a request for that land to be excluded from the order,

and it is determined that that land is operational land, then, subject to the following provisions of this section—

(i) if that land constitutes the whole of the land to which the order relates, the order shall not be confirmed or not be made, as the case may be, and

(ii) if that land forms part only of the land to which the order relates, the order shall be modified so as to exclude that land.

(4) Where it is proposed to make an order under section 1 of this Act, any statutory undertakers may, with respect to any land within the area to be designated by the order as the site of the proposed new town, make to the appropriate Minister, in the prescribed form and within the time allowed for making objections to the order, a representation that that land is operational land.

(5) Where a representation is made under subsection (4) above with respect to any land, the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister may make an order, which shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure, declaring that it is expedient that that land should be subject to compulsory acquisition.

(6) Where, in the case of a compulsory purchase order under section 7 of this Act, any land to which the order relates is within the area of a new town and is land in relation to which, apart from this subsection, subsection (3) above would apply, the said subsection (3) shall not apply in relation to that land—

(a) if no representation was made under subsection (4) above with respect thereto, or

(b) if an order under subsection (5) above has come into force with respect thereto.

11 Right to require development corporation to acquire land

Where any land within the area designated by an order under section 1 of this Act as the site of a new town has not been acquired by the development corporation within the period of seven years from the date on which that order, or the amending order by virtue of which that area was first extended to include that land, became operative and has not been so acquired since the end of that period, any owner of that land may by notice in writing served on the corporation require them to purchase his interest therein ; and thereupon the corporation shall be deemed to have been authorised to acquire that interest compulsorily under the foregoing provisions of this Act, and to have served notice to treat in respect thereof on the date on which the notice was served on them under this section.

12 Application of Lands Clauses Acts etc. and modification of Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963, for purposes of this Act

(1) The Lands Clauses Acts and section 6 of the [1845 c. 33.] Railways Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845 are hereby incorporated with this Act subject to any necessary adaptations and to the provisions of Part I of Schedule 6 to this Act.

(2) The [1963 c. 51.] Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963 shall, in its application for the purposes of this Act, have effect subject to any necessary adaptations and to the provisions of Part II of Schedule 6 to this Act.

(3) A compulsory purchase order may make provision for the incorporation with this Act of section 70 of the Railways Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845 (which relates to the exception of minerals from purchases) and sections 71 to 78 of that Act (which relate to restrictions on the working of minerals) as originally enacted and not as amended for certain purposes by section 15 of the [1923 c. 20.] Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1923, or of the said section 70 only.

Such provision may be made as to all or any of the land to which the compulsory purchase order relates, and may include such modification of references in the said sections to the railway or works, or to the company, as may be specified in the order ; and for the purposes of any such incorporation of those sections, this Act and the compulsory purchase order shall be deemed to be the special Act.

13 Measure of compensation for acquisition of statutory undertakers' operational land

(1) Where statutory undertakers are entitled to compensation in respect of a compulsory acquisition under this Act of operational land, the provisions of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect as regards the assessment of the amount of that compensation.

(2) In this section " compensation in respect of a compulsory acquisition " includes compensation payable in connection with the acquisition for damage sustained by reason of the severing of the land acquired from other land held therewith or otherwise injuriously affecting such other land, and compensation payable for disturbance or any other matter not directly based on the value of the land.

14 Extinguishment of rights over land compulsorily acquired

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, upon the completion by the acquiring authority of a compulsory acquisition of land under this Act, all private rights of way and rights of laying down, erecting, continuing or maintaining any apparatus on, under or over the land and all other rights or servitudes in or relating to that land shall be extinguished, and any such apparatus shall vest in the acquiring authority.

(2) Subsection (1) above shall not apply to any right vested in, or apparatus belonging to, statutory undertakers for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking.

(3) In respect of any right or apparatus not falling within subsection (2) above, subsection (1) above shall have effect subject—

(a) to any direction given by the acquiring authority before the completion of the acquisition that the said subsection (1) shall not apply to any right or apparatus specified in the direction, and

(b) to any agreement which may be made (whether before or after the completion of the acquisition) between the acquiring authority and the person in or to whom the right or apparatus in question is vested or belongs.

(4) Any person who suffers loss by the extinguishment of a right or servitude or the vesting of any apparatus under this section shall be entitled to compensation from the acquiring authority.

(5) Any compensation payable under this section shall be determined in accordance with the [1963 c. 51.] Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963.

Expedited completion of compulsory acquisition

15 Order providing for expedited completion

(1) Where the Minister having jurisdiction to do so confirms or makes a compulsory purchase order, and—

(a) the order as submitted or the draft of the order or the application for the order, as the case may be, contained, or included an application for, a direction under this section, and

(b) when he confirms or makes the order the said Minister is satisfied that it is requisite that the acquiring authority should have power to enter upon any land (being the whole or any part of the land to which the order relates) and to secure its vesting in that authority before the expiry of the time which would be required for the service of notices to treat,

the order may include a direction that the provisions of this Act relating to expedited completion shall apply to the order so far as it relates to the first-mentioned land.

(2) Where a compulsory purchase order containing a direction under this section is made in respect of land which has sustained war damage within the meaning of the [1943 c. 21.] War Damage Act 1943, being damage which has not been made good before the date on which the order is recorded under section 9 of this Act, the acquiring authority shall notify the Commissioners of Inland Revenue when the order is so recorded.

16 General effect of order providing for expedited completion

(1) The provisions of this section, of section 17 of this Act and of Schedule 7 to this Act shall have effect in relation to a compulsory purchase order which includes such a direction as is mentioned in section 15(1) of this Act.

(2) When the order becomes operative, the incorporated enactments shall apply as if, on the relevant date, a notice to treat had (except as provided by section 17 of this Act) been served on every person on whom under section 17 of the Act of 1845 the authority could have served such a notice.

(3) Subject to subsection (4) below the acquiring authority, at any time or from time to time after the order becomes operative, may execute, in respect of any area consisting of the whole or part of the relevant land, a declaration designating that area and stating—

(a) that they intend to enter upon the land in the designated area, and take possession thereof, at the end of such period as may be specified in the declaration (not being less than 28 days) from the date on which the service of notice on occupiers required by subsection (5) below is completed, and

(b) that at the end of that period they will expede a notice of title which, on being recorded in the Register of Sasines, will vest the land in the designated area in the authority.

(4) A declaration under subsection (3) above shall not be executed before the end of the period of two months from the date of the recording of the order in accordance with section 9 of this Act:

Provided that the order may substitute a period shorter than two months for the purposes of the operation of this subsection in relation to any land, if the order as submitted or the draft of the order or the application for the order, as the case may be, so provided in relation thereto.

(5) As soon as may be after executing a declaration under subsection (3) above, the acquiring authority shall serve—

(a) on every occupier of any of the land in the area designated by the declaration (other than land in which there subsists a tenancy to which section 17 of this Act applies) and

(b) on every other person who has given information to the authority with respect to any land in that area, in pursuance of the invitation mentioned in paragraph 2(b) of Schedule 7 to this Act,

a notice describing the designated area and stating the effect of the declaration.

(6) At the end of the period specified in such a declaration in accordance with subsection (3)(a) above,—

(a) the acquiring authority shall be entitled to enter upon, and take possession of, the land in the area designated by the declaration, or any of that land, without previous consent or compliance with sections 83 to 88 of the Act of 1845;

(b) the acquiring authority shall expede a notice of title containing a description of the land in that area and narrating the circumstances in which the land has been acquired; and

(c) on that notice of title being recorded in the Register of Sasines in accordance with section 80 of the Act of 1845, the land shall vest in the acquiring authority absolutely and free of any heritable security or charge as if, at the end of the period referred to in this subsection,—

(i) the circumstances in which under that Act, an authority authorised to purchase land have powers to expede a notarial instrument (whether for vesting in themselves land or any interest in land, including the interest of any holder of a heritable security, or for extinguishing the whole or part of any charge) had arisen in respect of all the land in the designated area and in respect of all interests in that land, and

(ii) the acquiring authority had duly exercised those powers accordingly:

Provided that, in relation to tenancies to which section 17 of this Act applies, this subsection shall have effect subject to the provisions of that section.

(7) In this section—

• " the incorporated enactments " means the provisions of the Lands Clauses Acts and the [1963 c. 51.] Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963 as modified by Schedule 6 to this Act and by the provisions of this section, of section 17 of this Act and of Schedule 7 to this Act;

• " the relevant land ", in relation to a compulsory purchase order, means the aggregate of the land in respect of which it is directed by the order, in accordance with section 15(1) of this Act, that the provisions of this Act relating to expedited completion shall apply to the order;

and in this section and section 17 of this Act—

• " the relevant date", in relation to any land, means the date on which the compulsory purchase order in question is in accordance with section 9 of this Act recorded in the Register of Sasines.

(8) In this section and Schedule 7 to this Act—

(a) any reference to the notice of confirmation or making of a compulsory purchase order is a reference

(i) in the case of an order made by a development corporation or local highway authority, to the notice of its confirmation, and

(ii) in the case of an order made by the Secretary of State, or by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister, to the notice of its making ;

(b) any reference to a charge includes a reference to any feu duty, ground annual, rent or other annual or recurring payment or incumbrance.

17 Special provisions as to certain tenancies

(1) The tenancies to which this section applies are—

(a) short tenancies, and

(b) long tenancies which are about to expire.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in section 16(2) of this Act, no notice to treat shall by virtue of that subsection be deemed to have been served on any person in respect of a tenancy to which this section applies.

(3) Land in which there subsists a tenancy to which this section applies is excepted from section 16(5)(a) of this Act, and the reference in that paragraph to land excepted from that paragraph by this section shall be construed accordingly.

(4) Where any land in an area designated by a declaration under section 16(3) of this Act is land in which a short tenancy is subsisting, then (without prejudice to any power, exercisable by virtue of the Lands Clauses Acts, to require a tenant to give up possession) the right of entry conferred by section 16(6) of this Act shall not be exercisable in respect of that land, and the vesting of the land in the acquiring authority by virtue of the said section 16(6) shall be subject to the tenancy during its subsistence.

(5) Where any land in an area designated by a declaration under section 16(3) of this Act is land in which a long tenancy which is about to expire is subsisting—

(a) the right of entry conferred by section 16(6) of this Act shall not be exercisable in respect of that land unless the acquiring authority have served a notice to treat in respect of the tenancy and have thereafter served upon every occupier of any of the land in which the tenancy subsists a notice, stating that, at the end of such period as may be specified in that notice (not being less than 28 days) from the date on which the notice is served, they intend to enter upon and take possession of such land as may be specified in that notice, and that period has expired, and

(b) the vesting of the land in the acquiring authority shall be subject to the tenancy until the end of that period or the expiration of the tenancy, whichever first occurs.

(6) In this section " short tenancy " means a tenancy for a year or from year to year or any lesser interest.

(7) In this section " long tenancy which is about to expire " means a tenancy granted for a period longer than one year or from year to year, but having at the relevant date a period still to run which is not more than the specified period (that is to say, such period, longer than one year, as may for the purposes of this subsection be specified in the order in relation to the land in which the tenancy subsists); and in determining for the purposes of this subsection what period a tenancy still has to run at the relevant date it shall be assumed—

(a) that the tenant will exercise any option to renew the tenancy, and will not exercise any option to terminate the tenancy, then or thereafter available to him, and

(b) that the landlord will exercise any option to terminate the tenancy then or thereafter available to him.

Disposal of land by development corporations

18 Disposal of land by development corporation

(1) Subject to this section and to any directions given by the Secretary of State under this Act, the development corporation established for the purposes of a new town may dispose of any land acquired by them (whether or not, in the case of land within the area of the new town, the development of that particular land has been proposed or approved under section 6(1) of this Act) to such persons, in such manner, and subject to such covenants or conditions, as they consider expedient for securing the development of the new town in accordance with proposals approved by the Secretary of State under the said section 6(1), or for purposes connected with the development of the new town.

(2) The powers of a development corporation with respect to the disposal of land acquired by them under this Act shall be so exercised as to secure, so far as practicable, that persons who were living or carrying on business or other activities on land so acquired shall, if they desire to obtain accommodation on land belonging to the corporation, and are willing to comply with any requirements of the corporation as to its development and use, have an opportunity to obtain thereon accommodation suitable to their reasonable requirements on terms settled with due regard to the price at which any such land has been acquired from them:

Provided that a development corporation shall not have any duty to afford to a person who was carrying on a business of selling exciseable liquor by retail on land acquired by them an opportunity of obtaining alternative accommodation for such a business.

(3) Where land is disposed of under this section by a development corporation to any person for the erection of a church or other building for religious worship or buildings ancillary thereto, then, unless the parties otherwise agree, such disposal shall be by way of feu.

(4) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as enabling a development corporation to dispose of land by way of gift or in security, but subject as aforesaid references in this Act to the disposal of land by a development corporation shall be construed as references to the disposal thereof by way of feu, excambion or lease, by the creation of any servitude, right or privilege, or otherwise.

(5) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, a development corporation shall not, except with the consent of the Secretary of State, dispose of land otherwise than on the best terms that can reasonably be obtained.

Powers exercisable in relation to land acquired by development corporations or highway authorities

19 Power to override servitudes and other rights

(1) The erection, construction or carrying out, or maintenance, of any building or work on land which has been acquired by a development corporation or local highway authority for the purposes of this Act, whether done by the corporation or authority or by any other person, is authorised by virtue of this section if it is done in accordance with planning permission, notwithstanding that it involves interference with an interest or right to which this section applies, or involves a breach of a restriction as to the use of land arising by virtue of any deed or contract:

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall authorise interference with any right of way or right of laying down, erecting, continuing or maintaining apparatus on, under or over land, being a right vested in or belonging to statutory undertakers for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking.

(2) This section applies to the following interests and rights, that is to say, any servitude, liberty, privilege, right or advantage annexed to land and adversely affecting other land, including any natural right to support.

(3) In respect of any interference or breach in pursuance of subsection (1) above, compensation shall be payable under section 61 of the [1845 c. 19.] Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845 or section 6 of the [1845 c. 33.] Railways Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845, to be assessed in the same manner and subject to the same rules as in the case of other compensation under those sections in respect of injurious affection where the compensation is to be estimated in connection with an acquisition by a development corporation or local highway authority or the injury arises from the execution of works on land acquired by such a corporation or authority.

(4) Where a person other than the development corporation or local highway authority by whom the land in question was acquired is liable to pay compensation by virtue of subsection (3) above, and fails to discharge that liability, the liability shall be enforceable against that corporation or authority:

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed as affecting any agreement between that corporation or authority and any other person for indemnifying the corporation or authority against any liability under this subsection.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising any act or omission on the part of any person which is actionable at the instance of any person on any ground other than such an interference or breach as is mentioned in subsection (1) above.

(6) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising any act or omission on the part of a development corporation or local highway authority, or of any body corporate, in contravention of any limitation imposed by law on their capacity by virtue of the constitution of the corporation, authority or body.

20 Use and development of churches and burial grounds

(1) Any land consisting of a church or other building used or formerly used for religious worship, or the site thereof, or a burial ground or part of a burial ground, which has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority, or which has been acquired under this Act by the Secretary of State, may—

(a) in the case of land acquired by such a corporation or authority, be used by them, or by any other person, in any manner in accordance with planning permission, and

(b) in the case of land acquired by the Secretary of State, be used in any manner by him or on his behalf for any purpose for which he acquired the land,

notwithstanding anything in any enactment relating to churches or such other buildings as aforesaid or to burial grounds or any obligation or restriction imposed under any deed or agreement or otherwise in respect of that church or other building or burial ground or part thereof:

Provided that this subsection shall not have effect in respect of any such land as aforesaid until the prescribed requirements with respect to the removal and reinterment of human remains, and the disposal of monuments, in or upon the land have been complied with.

(2) Provision shall be made by any regulations made for the purposes of the proviso to subsection (1) above—

(a) for requiring the persons in whom the land is vested to publish notice of their intention to carry out the removal and reinterment of any human remains or the disposal of any monuments ;

(b) for enabling the personal representatives or relatives of any deceased person themselves to undertake the removal and reinterment of the remains of the deceased, and the disposal of any monument commemorating the deceased, and for requiring the persons in whom the land is vested to defray the expenses of such removal, reinterment and disposal, not exceeding such amount as may be prescribed;

(c) for requiring compliance with any directions given in any case by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the church authorities in the case of a church or churchyard, with respect to the manner of removal, and the place and manner of reinterment of any human remains, and the disposal of any monuments; and

(d) with regard to such incidental and consequential matters (including the closing of registers) as appear to the Secretary of State to be expedient for the purposes of the regulations.

(3) Subject to the provisions of any such regulations, no authority shall be required for the removal and reinterment in accordance with the regulations of any human remains, or for the removal or disposal of any monuments.

(4) Any power conferred by this section to use land in a manner therein mentioned shall be construed as a power so to use the land, whether it involves the erection, construction or carrying out of any building or work, or the maintenance of any building or work, or not.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising any act or omission on, the part of any person which is actionable at the instance of any person on any ground other than contravention of any such enactment, obligation or restriction as is mentioned in subsection (1) above.

(6) Subsection (6) of section 19 of this Act shall apply in relation to this section as it applies in relation to that section.

(7) In this section " burial ground" includes any churchyard, cemetery or other ground, whether consecrated or not, which has at any time been set apart for the purposes of interment, and " monument" includes a tombstone or other memorial and any fixture or furnishing.

21 Use and development of open spaces

(1) Any land being, or forming part of, a common or open space, which has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority, or which has been acquired under this Act by the Secretary of State, may—

(a) in the case of land acquired by such a corporation or authority, be used by them, or by any other person, in any manner in accordance with planning permission, and

(b) in the case of land acquired by the Secretary of State, be used in any manner by him or on his behalf for any purpose for which he acquired the land,

notwithstanding anything in any enactment relating to land of that kind, or in any enactment by which the land is specially regulated.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising any act or omission on the part of any person which is actionable at the instance of any person on any ground other than contravention of any such enactment as is mentioned in subsection (1) above.

(3) Subsection (6) of section 19 and subsection (4) of section 20 of this Act shall apply in relation to this section as those subsections apply respectively in relation to those sections.

22 Displacement of persons from land acquired

(1) Where any land has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority, and the carrying out of redevelopment on the land will involve the displacement of persons residing in premises thereon, it shall be the duty of the corporation or authority, in so far as there is no other residential accommodation suitable to the reasonable requirements of those persons available on reasonable terms, to secure the provision of such accommodation in advance of the displacements from time to time becoming necessary as the redevelopment proceeds.

Where the land so acquired is within the area of a new town, the references in this subsection to residential accommodation shall be construed as references to residential accommodation in that area.

(2) Section 168 of the [1966 c. 49.] Housing (Scotland) Act 1966 (which imposes obligations as to the provision of housing accommodation where land is acquired under statutory powers) shall not apply in relation to an acquisition under this Act.

(3) If the Secretary of State certifies that possession of a house which has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority and is for the time being held by that corporation or authority for the purposes for which it was acquired, is immediately required for those purposes, nothing in the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Acts 1920 to 1939 shall prevent that corporation or authority from obtaining possession of the house.

(4) Where any land has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority, or has been acquired under this Act by the Secretary of State, and the acquiring authority require possession of a building on the land, or of part of such a building, for the purposes for which the land was acquired, then at any time after the tenancy of the occupier has expired or has been determined the acquiring authority may serve a notice on the occupier of the building or part of the building requiring him to remove therefrom within 21 days ; and, in the event of that period having expired without the notice to remove having been complied with, a certified copy of the notice shall be sufficient warrant for ejection against the occupier or any party in his right.

Nothing in this subsection shall affect the operation of section 16 of the [1957 c. 25.] Rent Act 1957 (which lays down the minimum length of notice to quit premises let as a dwelling) in cases to which that section applies.

(5) Where any land has been acquired for the purposes of, or under, this Act by a development corporation or a local highway authority or the Secretary of State, the acquiring authority—

(a) may pay to any person who is displaced in the carrying out of redevelopment on the land such reasonable allowance as the acquiring authority think fit towards his expenses in removing, and

(b) may pay to a person carrying on any business in a building from which he is so displaced such reasonable allowance as the acquiring authority think fit towards the loss which, in the acquiring authority's opinion, that person will sustain by reason of the disturbance to his business consequent on his having to quit the building.

(6) In estimating loss for the purposes of subsection (5)(b) above, the acquiring authority shall have regard to the period for which the premises occupied by the person referred to in that paragraph might reasonably have been expected to be available for the purpose of that person's business, and to the availability of other premises suitable for that purpose.

23 Extinguishment of public rights of way over land acquired

(1) Where any land—

(a) has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority and is for the time being held by that corporation or authority for those purposes, or

(b) has been acquired under this Act by the Secretary of State and is for the time being held for the purposes for which he acquired it,

the Secretary of State may by order extinguish any public right of way over the land.

(2) Where the Secretary of State proposes to make an order under this section, he shall publish in such manner as appears to him to be requisite a notice—

(a) stating the effect of the order, and

(b) specifying the time (not being less than 28 days from the publication of the notice) within which, and the manner in which, objections to the proposal may be made,

and shall serve a like notice—

(i) on the local planning authority in whose district the land is situated, and

(ii) on the relevant highway authority.

In this subsection " the relevant highway authority " means any authority who are a highway authority in relation to the right of way proposed to be extinguished by the order, other than an authority who have applied for the order to be made.

(3) Where an objection to a proposal to make an order under this section is duly made and is not withdrawn, the provisions of Schedule 8 to this Act shall have effect in relation to the proposal.

(4) For the purposes of this section an objection to such a proposal shall not be treated as duly made unless—

(a) it is made within the time and in the manner specified in the notice required by this section, and

(b) a statement in writing of the grounds of the objection is comprised in or submitted with the objection.

(5) Where it is proposed to make an order under this section extinguishing a public right of way over a road on land acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation, and compensation in respect of restrictions imposed under section 1 or section 2 of the [1935 c. 47.] Restriction of Ribbon Development Act 1935 in respect of that road has been paid by the highway authority (or, in the case of a trunk road, by the authority who, when the compensation was paid, were the authority for the purposes of section 4 of the [1936 c. 5 (1 Edw. 8 & 1 Geo. 6).] Trunk Roads Act 1936), the order may provide for the payment by the development corporation to that authority, in respect of the compensation so paid, of such sums as the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Treasury, may determine.

(6) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the construction or improvement of a road is or will be needed in consequence of the extinguishment under this section of a public right of way, section 8 of this Act shall apply as it applies where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the construction or improvement of a road is needed as mentioned in subsection (1) of that section.

24 Provisions as to telegraphic lines

(1) Where an order under section 23 of this Act extinguishing a public right of way is made on the application of a development corporation or local highway authority, and at the time of the publication of the notice required by subsection (2) of that section there was under, in, on, over, along or across the land over which the right of way subsisted a telegraphic line belonging to or used by the Postmaster General—

(a) the power of the Postmaster General to remove the line shall, notwithstanding the making of the order, be exercisable at any time not later than the end of the period of three months from the date on which the right of way is extinguished, and shall be exercisable in respect of the whole or any part of the line after the end of that period if before the end of that period the Postmaster General has given notice to the development corporation or local highway authority of his intention to remove the line or that part thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Postmaster General may by notice given in that behalf to the development corporation or local highway authority not later than the end of the said period of three months abandon the telegraphic line or any part thereof;

(c) subject to paragraph (b) above, the Postmaster General shall be deemed at the end of that period to have abandoned any part of the line which he has then neither removed nor given notice of his intention to remove;

(d) the Postmaster General shall be entitled to recover from the development corporation or local highway authority the expense of providing, in substitution for the line and any telegraphic line connected therewith which is rendered useless in consequence of the removal or abandonment of the line, a telegraphic line in such other place as the Postmaster General may require ;

(e) where under the foregoing provisions of this subsection the Postmaster General has abandoned the whole or any part of a telegraphic line, it shall vest in the development corporation or local highway authority, and the provisions of the Telegraph Acts 1863 to 1962 shall not apply in relation to the line or that part thereof with respect to anything done or omitted after its abandonment.

(2) In this section " telegraphic line " has the same meaning as in the [1878 c. 76.] Telegraph Act 1878.

25 Construction of roads

(1) Section 10 of the [1909 c. 47.] Development and Road Improvement Funds Act 1909 (which enables the Secretary of State to authorise the construction of new roads in respect of which advances are made under that Act and provides for the expenses of the construction, and for the maintenance, of such roads) shall apply in relation to the construction of a new road by a local highway authority on land transferred to or acquired by them under this Act as if the road were a road in respect of the construction of which an advance were made to that authority under that section.

(2) The Secretary of State may direct that any road constructed by him on land transferred to or acquired by him under this Act shall, on such date as may be specified in the direction, become a trunk road within the meaning of the Trunk Roads Acts 1936 and 1946; and the provisions of those Acts shall apply to the road accordingly.

Statutory undertakers

26 Extinguishment of rights of way, and rights as to apparatus, of statutory undertakers

(1) This section applies to land—

(a) which has been acquired for the purposes of this Act by a development corporation or local highway authority and is for the time being held by that corporation or authority for those purposes, or

(b) which has been acquired under this Act by the Secretary of State and is for the time being held for the purposes for which he acquired it.

(2) Where, in the case of any land to which this section applies—

(a) there subsists over that land a right vested in or belonging to statutory undertakers for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking, being a right of way or a right of laying down, erecting, continuing or maintaining apparatus on, under or over the land, or

(b) there is on, under or over the land apparatus vested in or belonging to statutory undertakers for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking,

the acquiring authority may serve on the statutory undertakers a notice stating that, at the end of such period as may be specified in the notice, the right will be extinguished, or requiring that, before the end of such period as may be so specified, the apparatus shall be removed.

(3) The statutory undertakers on whom a notice is served under subsection (2) above may, before the end of the period of 28 days from the service of the notice, serve a counter-notice on the acquiring authority 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—

(a) any right to which the notice relates shall be extinguished at the end of the period specified in that behalf in the notice, and

(b) if, at the end of the period so specified in relation to any apparatus, any requirement of the notice as to the removal of the apparatus has not been complied with, the acquiring authority may remove the apparatus and dispose of it in any way the authority may think fit.

(5) If a counter-notice is served under subsection (3) above on a development corporation or local highway authority, the corporation or authority may either withdraw the notice (without prejudice to the service of a further notice) or may apply to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister for an order under this section embodying the provisions of the notice, with or without modification; and if such an application is made, the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister may make an order under this section accordingly.

(6) If a counter-notice is served under subsection (3) above on the Secretary of State, he may withdraw the notice (without prejudice to the service of a further notice) or he and the appropriate Minister may make an order under this section embodying the provisions of the notice, with or without modification.

(7) Where, by virtue of this section, any right vested in or belonging to statutory undertakers is extinguished, or any requirement is imposed on statutory undertakers, those undertakers shall be entitled to compensation from the acquiring authority at whose instance the right was extinguished or the requirement imposed; and the provisions of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect as regards the assessment of the amount of that compensation.

27 Orders under s. 26

(1) Where the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister propose to make an order under section 26(6) of this Act, they shall prepare a draft of the order.

(2) Before making an order under section 26(5) or (6) of this Act, the Ministers proposing to make the order—

(a) shall afford to the statutory undertakers on whom notice was served under subsection (2) of that section an opportunity of objecting to the application for, or proposal to make, the order, and

(b) if any objection is made, shall cause an inquiry to be held,

and may then, if they think fit, make the order in accordance with the application or in accordance with the draft order, as the case may be, either with or without modification.

(3) Where an objection to an order under the said section 26 is duly made and is not withdrawn before the making of the order, the order shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

(4) Subject to subsection (3) above, where an order is made under section 26 of this Act—

(a) any right to which the order relates shall be extinguished at the end of the period specified in that behalf in the order, and

(b) if, at the end of the period so specified in relation to any apparatus, any requirement of the order as to the removal of the apparatus has not been complied with, the acquiring authority may remove the apparatus and dispose of it in any way the authority may think fit.

28 Extension or modification of functions of statutory undertakers

(1) The powers conferred by this section shall be exercisable where, on a representation made by statutory undertakers, it appears to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister to be expedient that the powers and duties of those undertakers should be extended or modified, in order—

(a) to secure the provision of services which would not otherwise be provided, or satisfactorily provided, for the purposes of a new town under this Act, or

(b) to facilitate an adjustment of the carrying on of the undertaking necessitated by any of the acts and events mentioned in subsection (2) below.

(2) The said acts and events are—

(a) the acquisition under this Act of any land in which an interest was held, or which was used", for the purpose of the carrying on of the undertaking ;

(b) the extinguishment of a right or the imposition of any requirement by virtue of section 26 of this Act.

(3) The powers conferred by this section shall also be exercisable where, on a representation made by a development corporation, it appears to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister to be expedient that the powers and duties of statutory undertakers should be extended or modified, in order to secure the provision of new services, or the extension of existing services, for the purposes of a new town under this Act.

(4) Where the powers conferred by this section are exercisable, the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister may, if they think fit, by order provide for such extension or modification of the powers and duties of the statutory undertakers as appears to them to be requisite in order to secure the provision of the services in question, as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (3) above, or to facilitate the adjustment in question, as mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above, as the case may be.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4) above, an order under this section may make provision—

(a) for empowering the statutory undertakers to acquire (whether compulsorily or by agreement) any land specified in the order, and to erect or construct any buildings or works so specified ;

(b) for applying, in relation to the acquisition of any such land or the construction of any such works, enactments relating to the acquisition of land and the construction of works;

(c) where it has been represented that the making of the order is expedient for the purposes mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (3) above, for giving effect to such financial arrangements between the development corporation and the statutory undertakers as they may agree, or as, in default of agreement, may be determined to be equitable in such manner and by such tribunal as may be specified in the order ;

(d) for such incidental and supplemental matters (including the amendment or repeal of any provision in any local enactment) as appear to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister to be expedient for the purposes of the order.

29 Procedure in relation to orders under s. 28

(1) As soon as may be after making such a representation as is mentioned in section 28(1) or (3) of this Act—

(a) the statutory undertakers, in a case falling within subsection (1) of that section, or

(b) the development corporation, in a case falling within subsection (3) thereof,

shall publish, in such form and manner as may be directed by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister, a notice giving such particulars as may be so directed of the matters to which the representation relates, and specifying the time (not being less than 28 days) within which, and the manner in which, objection to the making of an order on the representation may be made, and shall serve a like notice on any persons appearing from the valuation roll to have an interest in any land to which the representation relates, and shall also, if it is so directed by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister, serve a like notice on such other persons, or persons of such classes, as may be so directed.

(2) Orders under the said section 28 shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

30 Relief of statutory undertakers from obligations rendered impracticable

(1) Where, on a representation made by statutory undertakers, the appropriate Minister is satisfied that the fulfilment of any obligation incurred by those undertakers in connection with the carrying on of their undertaking has been rendered impracticable by an act or event to which this subsection applies, the appropriate Minister may, if he thinks fit, by order direct that the statutory undertakers shall be relieved of the fulfilment of that obligation, either absolutely or to such extent as may be specified in the order.

(2) Subsection (1) above applies to the following acts and events, that is to say—

(a) the compulsory acquisition under this Act of any land in which an interest was held, or which was used, for the purpose of the carrying on of the undertaking;

(b) the extinguishment of a right or the imposition of any requirement by virtue of section 26 of this Act.

(3) As soon as may be after making a representation to the appropriate Minister under subsection (1) above, the statutory undertakers shall, as may be directed by the appropriate Minister, either—

(a) publish (in such form and manner as may be so directed) a notice giving such particulars as may be so directed of the matters to which the representation relates, and specifying the time (not being less than 28 days) within which, and the manner in which, objections to the making of an order on the representation may be made, or

(b) serve such a notice on such persons, or persons of such classes, as may be so directed, or

(c) both publish and serve such notices.

(4) If any objection to the making of an order under this section is duly made and is not withdrawn before the order is made, the order shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

(5) As soon as may be after an order has been made under this section the appropriate Minister shall publish in such form and manner as he thinks fit a notice stating that the order has been made.

(6) The provisions of Part V of Schedule 3 to this Act as to the validity and date of operation of compulsory purchase orders shall have effect in relation to an order under this section with the substitution for references to a compulsory purchase order and to publication in accordance with the provisions of that Schedule in that behalf of references to an order under this section and to publication in accordance with subsection (5) above.

31 Objections to orders under ss. 28 and 30

(1) For the purposes of sections 28 and 30 of this Act an objection to the making of an order thereunder shall not be treated as duly made unless—

(a) the objection is made within the time and in the manner specified in the notice required by the section under which the order is proposed to be made, and

(b) a statement in writing of the grounds of the objection is comprised in or submitted with the objection.

(2) Where an objection to the making of such an order is duly made in accordance with subsection (1) above and is not withdrawn, the provisions of Schedule 8 to this Act shall have effect in relation thereto.

Provision of trolley vehicle services by development corporations

32 Power to authorise provision of trolley vehicle services by development corporation

(1) The development corporation established for the purposes of a new town may by means of an order made by the Minister of Transport be authorised to operate trolley vehicle services for the purposes of the new town.

(2) An order under this section may impose such conditions as appear to the Minister of Transport to be required in the interests of the public safety, and may contain such incidental and consequential provisions as appear to that Minister to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of the order, including provisions—

(a) authorising the construction and maintenance in highways of any works or equipment required in connection with the services;

(b) providing for the making and enforcement of regulations and byelaws with respect to the construction and operation of any vehicles or equipment used for the purposes of the services, and with respect to the conduct of passengers on, and of the drivers and conductors of, any such vehicles.

(3) An order under this section shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

Public services

33 Combination of authorities for provision of services

(1) Where an order is made under section 1 of this Act designating an area as the site of a new town and the Secretary of State is satisfied that, in consequence of the making of that order, it is expedient that two or more local authorities should combine for the purpose of providing and maintaining sewerage or other services for that area or any larger area which comprises that area, the Secretary of State may make an order under section 120 of the [1947 c. 43.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 combining the authorities for that purpose, notwithstanding—

(i) that no application in that behalf is made to him by any of these authorities, and

(ii) the provisions of subsection (5) of the said section 120.

(2) If, as a result of—

(a) the combining of authorities under an order made under subsection (1) above, or

(b) anything done under such an order,

any person (who, immediately before the order came into force, was an officer or servant of a local authority affected by the order)—

(i) is transferred to the employment of any joint committee set up under the order or of any other authority in the combination, or

(ii) has his appointment terminated, or

(iii) suffers diminution in his emoluments,

and in any case suffers a direct pecuniary loss by reason of such transfer, termination or diminution, that person shall, unless, provision for his compensation for that loss is made by or under any other enactment, be entitled to receive compensation from the local authority or such authority as may be specified in the order.

(3) The provisions of section 318 of, and Schedule 11 to, the [1947 c. 43.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 shall apply in relation to claims for compensation under subsection (2) above as they apply in relation to claims for compensation under that Act, subject to such necessary modifications as the Secretary of State may by order prescribe.

34 Power to authorise provision of services by development corporation

(1) If, after consultation with—

(a) the local authority or, as the case may be, regional water board who are responsible for the provision of water, sewerage or other services for an area designated by an order under section 1 of this Act as the site of a new town or any part of that area, and

(b) the development corporation established for the purpose of that order,

the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is expedient so to do, he may by an order made under this subsection authorise the development corporation to exercise, for the purpose of providing and maintaining any such service, such powers (other than a power to raise money by rate or loan) as may be specified in the order, being powers which the local authority or, as the case may be, regional water board could, or could be authorised to, exercise for that purpose under any enactment.

(2) The Secretary of State may from time to time, after consultation with the local authority or, as the case may be, regional water board, direct that the expenditure incurred by the development corporation in the exercise of the powers conferred on them by an order under subsection (1) above, or such part of that expenditure as he may determine, shall be repaid by the local authority or, as the case may be, regional water board to the corporation on such terms and over such period as he may specify, and any sum directed to be paid under this subsection shall be recoverable by the corporation: from the authority or board accordingly.

(3) Any expenditure incurred by the local authority or regional water board in making any payment under this section to the development corporation, representing the cost or part of the cost of the provision and maintenance of any service, shall be defrayed in like manner, and the local authority or regional water board shall have the like power to borrow money for the purpose, as if the service had been provided by them.

Transfer of property and undertakings of development corporations, and their dissolution

35 Power of development corporation to transfer their undertakings

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a development corporation may, by an agreement made with any local authority or any statutory undertakers and approved by the Secretary of State with the concurrence of the Treasury—

(a) transfer to that local authority any part of the undertaking of the corporation, or

(b) transfer to those statutory undertakers any part of the undertaking of the corporation which consists of a statutory undertaking,

upon such terms as may be prescribed by the agreement.

The foregoing provision is without prejudice to the powers of development corporations under this Act to dispose of any of their property, including any trade or business carried on by them.

(2) Before approving an agreement under this section the Secretary of State shall consult with the council of the county or burgh in which the whole or any part of the area of the new town is situated, except where the agreement is made with that council.

(3) Before approving an agreement under this section for the transfer of a statutory undertaking, the Secretary of State shall publish in the Edinburgh Gazette, and in one or more newspapers circulating in the area in which the new town is situated, a notice stating that the agreement has been submitted for approval, and describing the general effect of the agreement.

(4) If, within 28 days from the publication of the notice in the Edinburgh Gazette in accordance with subsection (3) above, any objection to the agreement is made by any statutory undertakers who, within the area in which the new town is situated or any area adjacent thereto, are carrying on, or are authorised to carry on, a statutory undertaking of a character similar to the statutory undertaking proposed to be transferred by the agreement, subsection (1) above shall apply in relation to the agreement as if for the reference to the Secretary of State there were substituted a reference to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister.

(5) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is expedient, having regard to any agreement made or proposed to be made under this section, that the liability of the development corporation in respect of advances made to them under the following provisions of this Act should be reduced, he may, by an order made with the consent of the Treasury, reduce that liability to such extent as may be specified in the order.

Section 46(6) of this Act applies to orders under this subsection.

(6) The payment of any sums payable by a local authority for the purposes of an agreement under this section shall be a purpose for which that authority may borrow money.

36 Winding up of development corporation

(1) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the purposes for which a development corporation was established under this Act have been substantially achieved, and is further satisfied, with the concurrence of the Treasury, that the circumstances are not such as to render it expedient on financial grounds to defer the disposal of the undertaking of the corporation under this section, he shall by order provide for the winding up and dissolution of the corporation.

(2) At any time after an order has been made under subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, by order provide for the transfer of the undertaking or any part of the undertaking of the corporation to such local authority (being an authority within whose area the new town or any part thereof is situated) as may be specified in the order or, in so far as that undertaking consists of a statutory undertaking, to such statutory undertakers as may be so specified:

Provided that—

(a) before making any such order the Secretary of State shall consult with

(i) the council of the county or the town council of the burgh in which the new town or any part thereof is situated,

(ii) any other local authority and any statutory undertakers to whom the undertaking or part of the undertaking of the corporation will be transferred by virtue of the order, and

(iii) any statutory undertakers (not being such undertakers as aforesaid) who, immediately before the date on which the order under section 1 of this Act designating the site of the new town became operative, were authorised to carry on within the area designated by that order an undertaking similar to the undertaking or part of the undertaking which will be so transferred as aforesaid; and

(b) an order under this subsection shall be of no effect until an order defining the terms on which the transfer is to be made has become operative under the subsequent provisions of this section.

(3) Where provision is made under subsection (2) above for the transfer of the undertaking or any part of the undertaking of the development corporation to a local authority or statutory undertakers, the terms upon which the transfer is to be made shall be such as may be determined by an order made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury, and any such order may provide for the payment by that authority of those undertakers, in consideration of the transfer, of such sum as may be specified in the order, to be satisfied in such manner as may be so specified:

Provided that not less than 28 days before making an order under this subsection, the Secretary of State shall serve a copy of the proposed order on the local authority or statutory undertakers to whom the undertaking or any part of the undertaking of the corporation is to be transferred, and if any objection is made by them within 28 days after the service of the notice, the order shall be subject to special parliamentary procedure.

(4) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is expedient, having regard to the provisions of any order or orders made or proposed to be made under subsection (3) of this section, that the liability of the development corporation in respect of advances made to them under this Act should be reduced, he may, by an order made with the consent of the Treasury, reduce that liability to such extent as may be specified in the order:

Section 46(6) of this Act applies to orders under this subsection.

(5) An order under this section which provides for the transfer of the undertaking or any part of the undertaking of a development corporation to any local authority or statutory undertakers may contain such incidental, consequential and supplementary provisions as the Secretary of State thinks necessary or expedient for the purposes of the order, and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, may extend or modify the powers and duties of that authority or those undertakers so far as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the transfer:

Provided that—

(a) in relation to an order which provides for extending or modifying the powers and duties of any statutory undertakers, subsection (2) of this section shall have effect as if for the first reference therein to the Secretary of State there were substituted a reference to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister ; and

(b) no order under this section shall confer or impose upon any local authority any powers or duties which are exercisable within the area of that authority by any other local authority.

(6) An order under subsection (1) of this section may provide for the appointment and functions of a liquidator of the development corporation, and may authorise the disposal, in such manner as may be determined by or under the order, of any assets of the corporation which are not transferred to a local authority or statutory undertakers under the foregoing provisions of this section.

(7) Any surplus arising from the winding up of a development corporation under this section shall be paid into the Exchequer; and any deficit shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

Financial and related provisions

37 Advances and grants by Secretary of State to development corporation

(1) For the purpose of enabling a development corporation to meet expenditure properly chargeable to capital account (including the provision of working capital), the Secretary of State may, subject to section 43 of the [1965 c. 59.] New Towns Act 1965, make to the corporation advances repayable over such periods and on such terms as may be approved by the Treasury.

(2) For the purpose of enabling a development corporation to meet any other expenditure, the Secretary of State may, out of moneys provided by Parliament, make grants to the corporation of such amount as may be approved by the Treasury.

(3) It shall be a condition of the making of advances to a development corporation under subsection (1) above that the proposals for development submitted to the Secretary of State under section 6 of this Act shall be approved by the Secretary of State with the concurrence of the Treasury as being likely to secure for the corporation a return which is reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances, when compared with the cost of carrying out those proposals.

38 Provisions supplementary to s. 37

(1) The Treasury may issue to the Secretary of State out of the Consolidated Fund such sums as are necessary to enable him to make advances to a development corporation under section 37(1) of this Act.

(2) For the purpose of providing the whole or part of any sum to be issued under subsection (1) above, or of providing for the replacement in whole or in part of any sum so issued, the Treasury may, at any time, if they think fit, raise money in any manner in which they are authorised to raise money under the [1939 c. 117.] National Loans Act 1939, and any securities created and issued to raise money under this subsection shall be deemed for all purposes to have been created and issued under that Act.

(3) Any sums received by the Secretary of State by way of repayment of or interest on advances under section 37(1) of this Act shall be paid into the Exchequer; and the Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament a statement of any sums payable to him by way of repayment of or interest on any such advances and not duly received by him.

(4) The sums paid into the Exchequer under subsection (3) above shall be issued out of the Consolidated Fund at such times as the Treasury may direct, and shall be applied by the Treasury as follows, that is to say—

(a) so much of those sums as represents principal shall be applied in redeeming or paying off debt of such description as the Treasury think fit; and

(b) so much of those sums as represents interest shall be applied towards meeting such part of the annual charges for the national debt as represents interest.

39 Accounts, audit, annual reports, etc.

(1) Every development corporation shall keep proper accounts and other records in relation thereto, and shall prepare in respect of each financial year annual accounts in such form as the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury direct

(2) The accounts of every development corporation shall be audited by an auditor to be appointed annually by the Secretary of State.

(3) No person shall be qualified to be so appointed auditor unless he is a member, or a firm of which all the partners are members, of one or more of the following bodies:—

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;

• the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants;

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland;

• any other body of accountants established in the United Kingdom and for the time being recognised for the purposes of section 161(1)(a) of the [1948 c. 38.] Companies Act 1948 by the Board of Trade.

(4) As soon as the annual accounts of a development corporation for any financial year have been audited, the corporation shall send to the Secretary of State a copy of the accounts prepared by them for that year in accordance with this section, together with a copy of any report made by the auditor thereon.

(5) The Secretary of State shall prepare in respect of each financial year, in such form and manner and at such times as the Treasury may direct, an account of the sums issued to him out of the Consolidated Fund and advanced to a development corporation under this Act and of sums received by him from that development corporation and paid into the Exchequer in respect of the principal of and interest on sums so advanced.

(6) On or before 30th November in each year, the Secretary of State shall transmit to the Comptroller and Auditor General the account prepared by him under subsection (5) above in respect of the last foregoing financial year ; and the Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine and certify the account prepared by the Secretary of State and lay before each House of Parliament copies of that account together with his report thereon.

(7) As soon as possible after the end of each financial year every development corporation shall make to the Secretary of State a report dealing generally with the operations of the corporation during that year, and shall include in the report a copy of their audited accounts for that year ; and the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of every such report before each House of Parliament.

(8) Without prejudice to the requirement imposed by subsection (7) above, every development corporation shall provide the Secretary of State with such information relating to their undertaking as the Secretary of State may from time to time require, and for that purpose shall permit any person authorised by the Secretary of State in that behalf to inspect and make copies of the accounts, books, documents or papers of the corporation and shall afford such explanation thereof as that person or the Secretary of State may reasonably require.

(9) The financial year of every development corporation shall begin with 1st April, and references to a financial year in relation to a development corporation shall be construed accordingly.

40 General provision as to expenses

There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament (in addition to any sums authorised or required by virtue of any other provision of this Act to be so paid)—

(a) any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State in payment of compensation under section 14(4) or 26(7) of this Act;

(b) any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State under section 20(2)(b) of this Act;

(c) any administrative expenses incurred by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this Act.

Miscellaneous and supplementary

41 Application of certain enactments

(1) References to undertakers in section 15 of the [1953 c. 25.] Local Government (Superannuation) Act 1953 (which enables local authorities to admit to their superannuation schemes employees of undertakers exercising powers under any Act or statutory order) shall include development corporations.

(2) The provisions of section 134 of the [1892 c. 55.] Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1892 (which relates to the vesting in the town council of private streets in a burgh) shall extend to and have effect in relation to private streets, together with the footways thereof, in any area designated as the site of a new town so far as it is situated in the landward part of a county, as if for references to the town council there were substituted references to the county council, and as if after the words " the frontage of such street or part " there were inserted the words " or the development corporation " ; and where in pursuance of the said section (as applied by this subsection) any street has become vested in the county council, it shall thereupon become a highway within the meaning and for the purposes of the [1878 c. 51.] Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Act 1878 and shall be added to the list of highways made up under section 41 of that Act.

(3) For the purposes of section 7(3) of the [1947 c. 42.] Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947 (which relates to the acquisition of inalienable land) this Act shall be deemed to have been passed before the commencement of that Act.

42 Rights of entry

(1) Where an authority, being either a development corporation or a local highway authority or the Secretary of State, are authorised to acquire any land compulsorily under this Act or have under consideration the acquisition of any land compulsorily thereunder, any person, being an officer of the Valuation Office or a person authorised in writing by the said authority, may at any reasonable time enter upon the land for the purpose of surveying it or estimating its value.

(2) Any person, being an officer of the Valuation Office or a person authorised in writing by the Secretary of State, may at any reasonable time enter upon any land for the purpose of surveying it or estimating its value in connection with any proposals relating to the land submitted or to be submitted under section 6(1) of this Act.

(3) A person authorised under the foregoing provisions of this section to enter upon any land shall, if so required, produce evidence of his authority before entering, and shall not demand admission as of right to any land which is occupied unless twenty-four hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

(4) Any person who obstructs a person acting in the exercise of his powers under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £20.

43 Local inquiries

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the Minister may, for the purposes of the exercise of any of his functions under this Act, cause to be held such local inquiries as are directed by this Act and such other local inquiries as he may think fit.

(2) The Minister shall appoint a person to hold the inquiry and to report thereon to him.

(3) The person appointed to hold the inquiry shall notify any person who has lodged, and has not withdrawn, objections in relation to any matter in question at the inquiry, and shall publish in such newspaper or newspapers as the Minister may direct a notice, of the time when and the place where the inquiry is to be held.

(4) The person appointed to hold the inquiry may, on the motion of any party thereto or of his own motion, serve a notice in writing on any person requiring him to attend at the time and place set forth in the notice to give evidence or to produce any books or documents in his custody or under his control which relate to any matter in question at the inquiry:

Provided that—

(i) no person shall be required in obedience to such a notice to attend at any place which is more than ten miles from the place where he resides, unless the necessary expenses are paid or tendered to him; and

(ii) nothing in this subsection shall empower the person appointed to hold the inquiry to require any person to produce any book or document or to answer any question which he would be entitled, on the ground of privilege or confidentiality, to refuse to produce or to answer if the inquiry were a proceeding in a court of law.

(5) The person appointed to hold the inquiry may administer oaths and examine witnesses on oath and may accept, in lieu of evidence on oath by any person, a statement in writing by that person.

(6) Any person who refuses or wilfully neglects to attend in obedience to a notice under subsection (4) of this section or to give evidence, or who wilfully alters, suppresses, conceals, destroys, or refuses to produce, any book or document which he may be required to produce by any such notice, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £20 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months.

(7) The Minister may make orders as to the expenses incurred by the parties to the inquiry and, where the inquiry arises out of a proposed acquisition of land by a development corporation or the proposed extinction of a right of way over land acquired or proposed to be acquired by a development corporation, as to the expenses incurred by the Minister in relation to the inquiry (including such reasonable sum as the Minister may determine for the services of the person appointed to hold the inquiry), and as to the parties by whom such expenses shall be paid.

(8) Any order of the Minister under subsection (7) of this section requiring any party to pay expenses may be enforced in like manner as a recorded decree arbitral.

(9) In this section the expression " Minister " means the Secretary of State, or any other Minister authorised under this Act to hold a local inquiry.

44 Inquiries under Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936

(1) Where the Ministers concerned so direct—

(a) any inquiry in relation to an order under this Act which in certain events becomes subject to special parliamentary procedure, and

(b) any hearing in connection with—

(i) an appeal against the refusal, or the grant, subject to conditions, of an application by statutory undertakers for planning permission to develop operational land, or

(ii) such an application made by statutory undertakers and referred to the Secretary of State, or

(iii) the revocation or modification of planning permission to develop operational land granted to statutory undertakers,

shall be held by Commissioners under the [1936 c. 52.] Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936.

(2) Any such direction shall be deemed to have been given under section 2, as read with section 10, of the [1945 c. 18. (9 & 10 Geo. 6).] Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945.

(3) Paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 8 to this Act shall not apply to an order such as is mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above.

(4) Nothing in subsections (2) to (9) of the last foregoing section shall apply to any inquiry to which subsection (1)(a) above applies.

(5) The provisions of the said Act of 1945 in relation to the publication of notices in the Edinburgh Gazette and in a newspaper shall, notwithstanding anything contained in that Act, not apply to any order under this Act which is subject to special parliamentary procedure.

45 Service of notices

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any notice or other document required or authorised to be served or given under this Act may be served or given either—

(a) by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served or to whom it is to be given, or

(b) by leaving it at the usual or last known place of abode of that person, or, in a case where an address for service has been given, at that address, or

(c) by sending it in a prepaid registered letter, or by the recorded delivery service, addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode, or, in a case where an address for service has been given, at that address, or

(d) in the case of a person on whom service is required by this Act to be made as being a person appearing from the valuation roll to have an interest in land, by sending it in a prepaid registered letter, or by the recorded delivery service, addressed to that person at his address as entered in the valuation roll, or

(e) in the case of an incorporated company or body, by delivering it to the secretary or clerk of the company or body at their registered or principal office, or sending it in a prepaid registered letter, or by the recorded delivery service, addressed to the secretary or clerk of the company or body at that office.

(2) Where the notice or document is required or authorised to be served on or given to any person as having an interest in premises, and the name, or, as the case may be, the address, of that person cannot be ascertained after reasonable inquiry, or where the notice or document is required or authorised to be served on any person as an occupier of premises, the notice or document shall be deemed to be duly served if—

(a) being addressed to him by the description of " the owner" or " the occupier ", as the case may be, of the premises (describing them), it is delivered, left or sent in the manner specified in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) above, or

(b) being addressed to him either by name or in accordance with paragraph (a) of this subsection, and marked in such manner as may be prescribed for securing that it shall be plainly identifiable as a communication of importance, it is sent to the premises in a prepaid registered letter or by the recorded delivery service and is not returned to the authority sending it, or is delivered to some person on those premises, or is affixed conspicuously to some object on those premises.

(3) Where the notice or other document is required to be served on or given to all persons having interests in, or being occupiers of, premises comprised in any land, and it appears to the authority required to serve or give the notice or other document that any part of that land is unoccupied, the notice or documents shall be deemed to be duly served on all persons having interests in, and on any occupiers of, premises comprised in that part of the land (other than an owner who in accordance with the provisions of this Act in that behalf has given to that authority an address for the service of the notice on him) if, being addressed to " the owners and any occupiers " of that part of the land (describing it) and marked as mentioned in subsection (2)(b) above, it is affixed conspicuously to some object on the land.

(4) Where a notice or other document has been served or given in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section, it shall be deemed to have been served or given—

(a) in the case of delivery, at the time of such delivery,

(b) in any other case, on the expiry of 48 hours after the time when it was actually served or given.

46 Regulations and orders

(1) The Secretary of State may make regulations for the purpose of prescribing anything which is authorised or required to be prescribed under this Act.

(2) The power to make regulations under this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument; and any statutory instrument containing regulations made under this Act shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(3) Any power to make an order conferred by any of the provisions of this Act shall include a power, exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like conditions, to vary or revoke the order.

(4) The power to make an order conferred by section 1 of this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

(5) A statutory instrument containing an order under section 1 of this Act shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament if—

(a) the order is one designating an area as the site of a proposed new town, or designating an additional area of not less than 500 acres which would extend the area of a new town by not less than ten per cent; and

(b) an objection to the order was duly made by a local planning authority and had not been withdrawn at the time the order was made.

(6) An order under section 35(5) or 36(4) of this Act shall be of no effect until it is approved by a resolution of the Commons House of Parliament.

47 Interpretation

(1) In this Act, except in so far as the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say—

• " acquiring authority ", in relation to the acquisition under or for the purposes of this Act of any land (whether compulsorily or by agreement) or to a proposal so to acquire any land, means the development corporation, local highway authority or Minister of the Crown by whom the land is, or is proposed to be, acquired ;

• " the Act of 1845 " means the [1845 c. 19.] Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845;

• " the appropriate Minister "—

  (a)

  in relation to statutory undertakers carrying on an undertaking for the supply of gas or hydraulic power, means the Minister of Power;

  (b)

  in relation to statutory undertakers carrying on an undertaking for the supply of electricity or water, means the Secretary of State ; and

  (c)

  in relation to any other statutory undertakers, means the Minister of Transport;

• " the arbiter " or " the official arbiter " means the official arbiter appointed under section 2 of the [1963 c. 51.] Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963;

• " common " includes any town or village green ;

• " compulsory purchase order " means an order under section 7(1), 8(1) or 8(2) of this Act;

• " development" includes re-development and " develop " shall be construed accordingly ;

• " development corporation " has the meaning assigned by section 2 of this Act;

• " enactment " includes an enactment in any local or private Act of Parliament, and an order, byelaw or scheme made under an Act of Parliament;

• " exciseable liquor " has the meaning assigned by section 199(1) of the [1959 c. 51.] Licensing (Scotland) Act 1959 ;

• " held inalienably ", in relation to land belonging to the National Trust, means that the land is inalienable under section 22 of the Order confirmed by the [26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8. c. ii.] National Trust for Scotland Order Confirmation Act 1935;

• " land " includes land covered with water and any interest in land and any servitude or right in or over land;

• " local authority " means a county, town or district council, and includes any joint board or joint committee of which all the constituent authorities are such local authorities as aforesaid, but does not include a regional water board;

• " local highway authority" means a highway authority other than the Secretary of State ;

• " local planning authority" means the local planning authority for the purposes of the [1947 c. 53.] Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947 ;

• " National Trust" means the National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty incorporated by the Order confirmed by the [26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8. c. ii.] National Trust for Scotland Order Confirmation Act 1935 ;

• " open space " means any land laid out as a public garden, or used for purposes of public recreation, or any disused burial ground;

• " operational land ", in relation to statutory undertakers, means land which is used for the purpose of the carrying on of their undertaking and land in which an interest is held for that purpose, not being land which, in respect of its nature and situation, is comparable rather with land in general than with land which is used, or in which interests are held, for the purpose of the carrying on of statutory undertakings;

• " owner", in relation to any building or land, includes any person who under the Lands Clauses Acts would be enabled to sell and convey the building or land to the promoters of an undertaking, and includes also a lessee under a lease or agreement the unexpired period of which exceeds three years ;

• " planning permission " means planning permission under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947 ;

• " prescribed" (except in relation to matters expressly required or authorised by this Act to be prescribed in some other way) means prescribed by regulations under this Act;

• " regional water board" has the meaning assigned to it by section 34(1) of the [1967 c. 78.] Water (Scotland) Act 1967;

• " statutory undertakers " means persons authorised by any enactment to construct, work or carry on any railway, light railway, tramway, road transport, water transport, canal, inland navigation, dock, harbour, pier or lighthouse undertaking, or any undertaking for the supply of electricity, gas, hydraulic power or water, and " statutory undertaking " shall be construed accordingly;

• " trolley vehicle " means a mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use on roads without rails and moved by power transmitted to it from some external source;

• " Valuation Office " means the Valuation Office of the Inland Revenue Department;

• " valuation roll" means the valuation roll for the year current at the time when the notice is served, or, if the notice is served after 15th May and before 1st October in any year, the valuation roll for the preceding year.

(2) Any reference in this Act to the area of a new town is a reference to the area designated as the site of that new town by an order under section 1 of this Act.

(3) Any reference in this Act to the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister shall be construed, in relation to statutory undertakers for whom the Secretary of State is the appropriate Minister, as a reference to the Secretary of State.

(4) If, in relation to anything required or authorised to be done under this Act, any question arises as to which Minister is or was the appropriate Minister in relation to any statutory undertakers, that question shall be determined by the Treasury ; and if, in relation to the authorisation under this Act of a compulsory acquisition of land, any question arises whether land of statutory undertakers is operational land, that question shall be determined by the Secretary of State and the appropriate Minister.

(5) As from the coming into operation of Part II of the [1963 c. 51.] Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963,—

(a) for any reference in this Act to the arbiter or the official arbiter there shall be substituted a reference to the Lands Tribunal for Scotland or, as the case may require, a member of that Tribunal; and

(b) for any reference in this Act to any provision contained in section 2, 3 or 5 of the said Act of 1963 there shall be substituted a reference to the corresponding provision contained respectively in section 8, 9 or 11 of that Act.

(6) A development corporation established for the purposes of an order under section 1 of this Act shall have power to act as the agents of a local authority or regional water board to carry out any function relating to the provision of water, sewerage or other services for the area designated by that order; and a local authority shall have power to act as the agents of a development corporation to carry out any of the functions of the corporation.

(7) If the Secretary of State is satisfied, after consultation with any local authorities who appear to him to be concerned, that it is expedient that any area designated as the site of a new town, or any part of such an area, so far as it is situated in the landward part of a county should be formed into a special district for any purpose for which a county council may form a special district, he may make an order declaring that area or part of the area to be a special district for that purpose; and thereupon the enactments relating to special districts formed for that purpose shall apply in relation to that special district as if it were a special district formed by the county council under those enactments:

Provided that the county council may, for such period as they may think proper, exempt the owners or occupiers of any lands and heritages within the special district from the whole or from a specified portion of any special district rate, on the ground that they cannot during that period benefit from any service within the district in respect of which that rate is levied.

(8) Words in this Act importing a reference to service of a notice to treat shall be construed as including a reference to the constructive service of such a notice which, by virtue of any enactment, is to be deemed to be served.

(9) References in this Act to any enactment shall, except where the context otherwise requires, be construed as references to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.

48 Saving and transitional provisions, consequential amendments and repeals

(1) The saving and transitional provisions contained in Schedule 9 to this Act shall have effect.

(2) The enactments specified in Schedule 10 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments therein specified, being amendments consequential on the repeals specified in Schedule 11 to this Act.

(3) The enactments specified in Schedule 11 to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.

49 Short title, commencement and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968.

(2) This Act shall come into operation on 1st April 1968.

(3) This Act shall extend to Scotland only.