Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

Rights of entry

15 (1) Any person, being an officer of the Valuation Office of the Inland Revenue Department or a person duly authorised in writing by the Authority, may at any reasonable time enter any land for the purposes of surveying it, or estimating its value, in connection with any proposal to acquire that land or any other land, under section 104 above, or in connection with any claim for compensation in respect of any such acquisition.

(2) Any person duly authorised in writing by the Authority may at any reasonable time enter upon any land for the purpose of surveying it in order to enable the Authority to determine whether to make an application for planning permission for the carrying out of development of that land.

(3) Subject to the provisions of paragraph 16 below, any power conferred by this paragraph to survey land shall be construed as including power to search and bore for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the subsoil or the presence of minerals therein.

16 (1) A person authorised under paragraph 15 above to enter any land shall if so required, produce evidence of his authority before so entering, and shall not demand admission as of right to any land which is occupied unless 24 hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

(2) Any person who wilfully obstructs a person acting in the exercise of his powers under paragraph 15 above shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £200.

(3) If any person who, in compliance with the provisions of paragraph 15 above, is admitted into a factory, workshop or workplace discloses to any person any information obtained by him therein as to any manufacturing process or trade secret, he shall, unless the disclosure is made in the course of performing his duty in connection with the purpose for which he was authorised to enter the premises, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine, or both.

In this sub-paragraph " the statutory maximum " means the prescribed sum within the meaning of section 28 of the [1977 c. 45.] Criminal Law Act 1977 (at the passing of this Act £1,000) or, after the commencement of the [1980 c. 43.] Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, within the meaning of section 32 of that Act.

(4) Where any land is damaged in the exercise of a right of entry conferred under paragraph 15 above or in the making of any survey for the purpose of which any such right of entry has been so conferred, compensation in respect of that damage may be recovered by any person interested in the land from the Secretary of State or the Authority.

(5) Except in so far as may be otherwise provided by regulations made by the Secretary of State under this sub-paragraph, any question of disputed compensation under sub-paragraph (4) above shall be referred to and determined by the Lands Tribunal.

In relation to the determination of any question under this subparagraph, the provisions of sections 2 and 4 of the [1961 c. 33.] Land Compensation Act 1961 shall apply, subject to any necessary modifications and to the provisions of any regulations under this sub-paragraph.

(6) Where under paragraph 15 above a person proposes to carry out any works authorised by sub-paragraph (3) of that paragraph—

(a) he shall not carry out those works unless notice of his intention to do so was included in the notice required by subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, and

(b) if the land in question is held by statutory undertakers and those undertakers object to the proposed works on the grounds that the carrying out thereof would be seriously detrimental to the carrying on of their undertaking, the works shall not be carried out except with the authority of the appropriate Minister.