Harbours Act 1964

[F1 44 Limitation of right to challenge harbour revision orders, &c., in legal proceedings. E+W+S

(1) A person who desires to question any such order as follows, namely, a harbour revision or empowerment order [F2 (not being one confirmed by Act of Parliament under section 6 of the M1 Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945, or under section 2(4), as read with section 10, of that Act)] [F3 or an order under section 15A of this Act,] on the ground that there was no power to make the order or that a requirement of this Act was not complied with in relation to the order, . . . F4 may, within six weeks from the date on which the order becomes operative . . . F4 make an application for the purpose to the High Court or the Court of Session, as the case may be.

(1A) On an application under the foregoing subsection . . . F4 , the court—

(a) may, by interim order, suspend the operation of the order or of any provision thereof, either generally or so far as may be necessary for the protection of the interests of the applicant, until the final determination of the proceedings; and

(b) if satisfied that there was no power to make the order or that the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by a failure to comply with a requirement of this Act so far as regards the inclusion in the order of that provision, may quash the order, or any provision thereof, either generally or so far as may be necessary as aforesaid.

(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5

(3) Except as provided by this section, a harbour revision or empowerment order [F6 , or an order under section 15A of this Act,] shall not, either before or after it is made, be questioned in any legal proceedings whatever, . . . F4 .

(4) The foregoing provisions of this section shall apply to a harbour reorganisation scheme confirmed [F7 or made] by the Minister as they apply to a harbour revision order, with the substitution [F7 , in relation to a harbour reorganisation scheme confirmed by the Secretary of State,] for references to the making of the order and to its being made of references respectively to the confirmation of the scheme and to its being confirmed.

(5) In relation to proceedings in Scotland, subsections (1A)(a) . . . F4 of this section shall have effect as if the words “by interim order” were omitted.

[F8 (6) In relation to any challenge to an order to which subsection (7) below applies, an organisation mentioned in the definition of “the public concerned” in Article 1(2) of the Directive is deemed for the purposes of—

(a) sub-paragraph (a) of Article 10a of that Directive to have an interest; and

(b) sub-paragraph (b) of Article 10a to have rights capable of being impaired.

(7) This subsection applies to a harbour revision or empowerment order authorising a project which—

(a) falls within Annex I to the Directive; or

(b) falls within Annex II to the Directive and is a relevant project.

(8) In this section, “the Directive”, “project” and “relevant project” have the meanings assigned by paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to this Act.]

[F9 (6) In the case of an order falling within subsection (7), an environmental organisation is, in accordance with Article 10a of the Directive, to be deemed to have sufficient interest to make an application under subsection (1).

(7) An order is within this subsection if the decision to make it was subject to the public participation provisions of the Directive.

(8) For the purposes of subsections (6) and (7)—

(a) “the Directive” has the meaning given in Schedule 3;

(b) an “environmental organisation” is a non-governmental organisation promoting environmental protection; and

(c) “the public participation provisions” has the same meaning as in the Directive.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 44 substituted by virtue of Docks and Harbours Act 1966 (c. 28, SIF 58), s. 44, Sch. 2

F2 Words in s. 44(1) repealed (S.) (28.12.2007) by Transport and Works (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 8), s. 30(4), Sch. 3; S.S.I. 2007/516, art. 2

F3 Words inserted by Transport Act 1981 (c. 56, SIF 58), Sch. 6 para. 5(2)(a)

F4 Words repealed by Transport Act 1981 (c. 56, SIF 58), Sch. 12 Pt. II

F5 S. 44(2) repealed by Transport Act 1981 (c. 56, SIF 58), Sch. 12 Pt. II

F6 Words inserted by Transport Act 1981 (c. 56, SIF 58), Sch. 6 para. 5(2)(b)

F7 Words inserted by Transport Act 1981 (c. 56, SIF 58), Sch. 6 para. 6(4)

F8 S. 44(6)-(8) added (S.) (14.5.2007) by Transport and Works (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 8), ss. 25(2), 30(3) (with s. 30(5))

F9 S. 44(6)-(8) added (E.W.) (10.3.2009) by The Harbour Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/269), regs. 1(1), 2 (with reg. 1(2))

Marginal Citations

M1 1945 c. 18. (9 & 10 Geo. 6) (89).