Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Application of Act as respects Crown land E+W

Valid from 06/08/2004

[F1 293A Urgent Crown development: application E+W

(1) This section applies to a development if the appropriate authority certifies—

(a) that the development is of national importance, and

(b) that it is necessary that the development is carried out as a matter of urgency.

(2) The appropriate authority may, instead of making an application for planning permission to the local planning authority in accordance with Part 3, make an application for planning permission to the Secretary of State under this section.

(3) If the appropriate authority proposes to make the application to the Secretary of State it must publish in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality of the proposed development a notice—

(a) describing the proposed development, and

(b) stating that the authority proposes to make the application to the Secretary of State.

(4) For the purposes of an application under this section the appropriate authority must provide to the Secretary of State—

(a) any matter required to be provided by an applicant for planning permission in pursuance of regulations made under section 71A;

(b) a statement of the authority’s grounds for making the application.

(5) If the appropriate authority makes an application under this section subsections (6) to (9) below apply.

(6) The Secretary of State may require the authority to provide him with such further information as he thinks necessary to enable him to determine the application.

(7) As soon as practicable after he is provided with any document or other matter in pursuance of subsection (4) or (6) the Secretary of State must make a copy of the document or other matter available for inspection by the public in the locality of the proposed development.

(8) The Secretary of State must in accordance with such requirements as are contained in a development order publish notice of the application and of the fact that such documents and other material are available for inspection.

(9) The Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the local planning authority for the area to which the proposed development relates, and

(b) such other persons as are specified or described in a development order,

about the application.

(10) Subsection (7) does not apply to the extent that the document or other matter is subject to a direction under section 321(3)(matters related to national security).

(11) Subsections (4) to (7) of section 77 apply to an application under this section as they apply to an application in respect of which a direction under section 77 has effect.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 293A inserted (6.8.2004 for certain purposes and 7.6.2006 otherwise) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 82, 121 (with s. 111); S.I. 2004/2097, art. 2; S.I. 2006/1281, art. 2

294 Control of development on Crown land: special enforcement notices. E+W

(1) No enforcement notice shall be issued under section 172 in respect of development carried out by or on behalf of the Crown after 1st July 1948 on land which was Crown land at the time when the development was carried out.

(2) The following provisions of this section apply to development of Crown land carried out otherwise than by or on behalf of the Crown at a time when no person is entitled to occupy it by virtue of a private interest.

(3) Where—

(a) it appears to a local planning authority that development to which this subsection applies has taken place in their area, and

(b) they consider it expedient to do so having regard to the provisions of the development plan and to any other material considerations,

they may issue a notice under this section (a “special enforcement notice”).

(4) No special enforcement notice shall be issued except with the consent of the appropriate authority.

(5) A special enforcement notice shall specify—

(a) the matters alleged to constitute development to which this section applies; and

(b) the steps which the authority issuing the notice require to be taken for restoring the land to its condition before the development took place or for discontinuing any use of the land which has been instituted by the development.

(6) A special enforcement notice shall also specify—

(a) the date on which it is to take effect (“the specified date”), and

(b) the period within which any such steps as are mentioned in subsection (5)(b) are to be taken.

(7) A special enforcement notice may specify different periods for the taking of different steps.

295 Supplementary provisions as to special enforcement notices. E+W

(1) Not later than 28 days after the date of the issue of a special enforcement notice and not later than 28 days before the specified date, the local planning authority who issued it shall serve a copy of it—

(a) on the person who carried out the development alleged in the notice;

(b) on any person who is occupying the land when the notice is issued; and

(c) on the appropriate authority.

(2) The local planning authority need not serve a copy of the notice on the person mentioned in subsection (1)(a) if they are unable after reasonable enquiry to identify or trace him.

(3) Any such person as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) may appeal against the notice to the Secretary of State on the ground that the matters alleged in the notice—

(a) have not taken place, or

(b) do not constitute development to which section 294 applies.

(4) A person may appeal against a special enforcement notice under subsection (3) whether or not he was served with a copy of it.

(5) The provisions contained in or having effect under sections 174(3) to (5), 175(1) to (4) and 176(1) to (4) shall apply to special enforcement notices issued by local planning authorities and to appeals against them under subsection (3) as they apply to enforcement notices and to appeals under section 174.

(6) The Secretary of State may by regulations apply to special enforcement notices and to appeals under subsection (3) such other provisions of this Act (with such modifications as he thinks fit) as he thinks necessary or expedient.

296 Exercise of powers in relation to Crown land. E+W

(1) Notwithstanding any interest of the Crown in Crown land, but subject to the following provisions of this section—

(a) a plan approved, adopted or made under Part II of this Act or Part II of the 1971 Act may include proposals relating to the use of Crown land;

(b) any power to acquire land compulsorily under Part IX may be exercised in relation to any interest in Crown land which is for the time being held otherwise than by or on behalf of the Crown;

(c) any restrictions or powers imposed or conferred by Part III, VII or VIII, by the provisions of Part VI relating to purchase notices, or by any of the provisions of sections 266 to 270, shall apply and be exercisable in relation to Crown land, to the extent of any interest in it for the time being held otherwise than by or on behalf of the Crown.

(2) Except with the consent of the appropriate authority—

(a) no order or notice shall be made, issued or served under any of the provisions of section 102, 103, 172, 198, 199 or 215 or Schedule 9 or under any of those provisions as applied by any order or regulations made under Part VIII, in relation to land which for the time being is Crown land;

(b) no interest in land which for the time being is Crown land shall be acquired compulsorily under Part IX.

(3) No purchase notice shall be served in relation to any interest in Crown land unless—

(a) an offer has been previously made by the owner of that interest to dispose of it to the appropriate authority on equivalent terms, and

(b) that offer has been refused by the appropriate authority.

(4) In subsection (3) “equivalent terms” means that the price payable for the interest shall be equal to (and shall, in default of agreement, be determined in the same manner as) the compensation which would be payable in respect of it if it were acquired in pursuance of a purchase notice.

(5) The rights conferred by the provisions of Chapter II of Part VI shall be exercisable by a person who (within the meaning of those provisions) is an owner-occupier of a hereditament or agricultural unit which is Crown land, or is a resident owner-occupier of a hereditament which is Crown land, in the same way as they are exercisable in respect of a hereditament or agricultural unit which is not Crown land, and those provisions shall apply accordingly.

Valid from 07/06/2006

[F2 296A Enforcement in relation to the Crown E+W

(1) No act or omission done or suffered by or on behalf of the Crown constitutes an offence under this Act.

(2) A local planning authority must not take any step for the purposes of enforcement in relation to Crown land unless it has the consent of the appropriate authority.

(3) The appropriate authority may give consent under subsection (2) subject to such conditions as it thinks appropriate.

(4) A step taken for the purposes of enforcement is anything done in connection with the enforcement of anything required to be done or prohibited by or under this Act.

(5) A step taken for the purposes of enforcement includes—

(a) entering land;

(b) bringing proceedings;

(c) the making of an application.

(6) A step taken for the purposes of enforcement does not include—

(a) service of a notice;

(b) the making of an order (other than by a court).

Textual Amendments

F2 Ss. 296A, 296B inserted (7.6.2006) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 84(2), 121 (with s. 111); S.I. 2006/1281, art. 2

Valid from 07/06/2006

296B References to an interest in land E+W

(1) Subsection (2) applies to the extent that an interest in land is a Crown interest or a Duchy interest.

(2) Anything which requires or is permitted to be done by or in relation to the owner of the interest in land must be done by or in relation to the appropriate authority.

(3) An interest in land includes an interest only as occupier of the land.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Ss. 296A, 296B inserted (7.6.2006) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 84(2), 121 (with s. 111); S.I. 2006/1281, art. 2

297 Agreements relating to Crown land. E+W

(1) The appropriate authority and the local planning authority for the area in which any Crown land is situated may make agreements for securing the use of the land, so far as may be prescribed by any such agreement, in conformity with the provisions of the development plan applicable to it.

(2) Any such agreement may contain such consequential provisions, including provisions of a financial character, as may appear to be necessary or expedient having regard to the purposes of the agreement.

(3) An agreement made under this section by a government department shall not have effect unless it is approved by the Treasury.

(4) In considering whether to make or approve an agreement under this section relating—

(a) to land belonging to a government department, or

(b) to land held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department,

the department and the Treasury shall have regard to the purposes for which the land is held by or for the department.

298 Supplementary provisions as to Crown and Duchy interests. E+W

[F3 (1) Where there is a Crown interest in any land, sections 109 to 112 shall have effect in relation to any private interest or Duchy interest as if the Crown interest were a private interest.

F3 (2) Where there is a Duchy interest in any land, those sections shall have effect in relation to that interest or any private interest as if the Duchy interest were a private interest.]

(3) Where, in accordance with an agreement under section 297, the approval of a local planning authority is required in respect of any development of land in which there is a Duchy interest, [F4 sections 109 to 112] shall have effect in relation to the withholding of that approval, or the giving of it subject to conditions, as if it were a refusal of planning permission or, as the case may be, a grant of planning permission subject to conditions.

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 298(1)(2) substituted (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s.31, Sch. 6 para. 25 (1) (with saving in Sch. 6 para. 25(3) and with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art.3 (subject to art. 4)

F4 Words in s. 298(3) substituted (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s. 31, Sch. 6 para. 25 (2) (with saving in Sch. 6 para. 25(3) and with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art.3 (subject to art. 4)

Valid from 06/08/2004

[F5 298A Applications for planning permission by Crown E+W

(1) This section applies to an application for planning permission or for a certificate under section 192 made by or on behalf of the Crown.

(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations modify or exclude any statutory provision relating to the making and determination of such applications.

(3) A statutory provision is a provision contained in or having effect under any enactment.]

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 298A inserted (6.8.2004 for certain purposes and 7.6.2006 otherwise) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 79, 121, Sch. 3 para. 10(1) (with s. 111); S.I. 2004/2097, art. 2; S.I. 2006/1281, art. 2