Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

Certification of appropriate alternative development. E+W+S

17 (1) Where an interest in land is proposed to be acquired by an authority possessing compulsory purchase powers, and that land or part thereof does not consist or form part of—

(a) an area defined in the development plan as an area of comprehensive development, or

(b) an area shown in the development plan as an area allocated primarily for a use which is of a residential, commercial or industrial character, or for a range of two or more uses any of which is of such a character,

then, subject to subsection (2) of this section, either of the parties directly concerned may apply to the local planning authority for a certificate under this section.

(2) If, in the case of an interest in land falling within subsection (1) of this section, the authority proposing to acquire it have served a notice to treat in respect thereof, or an agreement has been made for the sale thereof to that authority, and a reference has been made to the Lands Tribunal to determine the amount of the compensation payable in respect of that interest, no application for a certificate under this section shall be made by either of the parties directly concerned after the date of that reference except either—

(a) with the consent in writing of the other of those parties, or

(b) with the leave of the Lands Tribunal.

(3) An application for a certificate under this section—

(a) shall state whether or not there are, in the applicant’s opinion, any classes of development which, either immediately or at a future time, would be appropriate for the land in question if it were not proposed to be acquired by any authority possessing compulsory purchase powers and, if so, shall specify the classes of development and the times at which they would be so appropriate;

(b) shall state the applicant’s grounds for holding that opinion; and

(c) shall be accompanied by a statement specifying the date on which a copy of the application has been or will be served on the other party directly concerned.

(4) Where an application is made to the local planning authority for a certificate under this section in respect of an interest in land, the local planning authority shall, not earlier than twenty-one days after the date specified in the statement mentioned in paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of this section, issue to the applicant a certificate stating either of the following to be the opinion of the local planning authority regarding the grant of planning permission in respect of the land in question, if it were not proposed to be acquired by an authority possessing compulsory purchase powers, that is to say—

(a) that planning permission for development of one or more classes specified in the certificate (whether specified in the application or not) would have been granted; or

(b) that planning permission would not have been granted for any development other than the development (if any) which is proposed to be carried out by the authority by whom the interest is proposed to be acquired.

(5) Where, in the opinion of the local planning authority, planning permission would have been granted as mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of this section, but would only have been granted subject to conditions, or at a future time, or both subject to conditions and at a future time, the certificate shall specify those conditions, or that future time, or both, as the case may be, in addition to the other matters required to be contained in the certificate.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) of this section, a local planning authority may formulate general requirements applicable to such classes of case as may be described therein; and any conditions required to be specified in the certificate in accordance with that subsection may, if it appears to the local planning authority to be convenient to do so, be specified by reference to those requirements, subject to such special modifications thereof (if any) as may be set out in the certificate.

(7) In determining, for the purposes of the issue of a certificate under this section, whether planning permission for any particular class of development would have been granted in respect of any land, the local planning authority shall not treat development of that class as development for which planning permission would have been refused by reason only that it would have involved development of the land in question (or of that land together with other land) otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the development plan relating thereto.

(8) Where an application for a certificate under this section relates to land of which part (but not the whole) consists or forms part of such an area as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, any certificate issued under this section in pursuance of that application shall be limited to so much of that land as does not fall within any such area.

(9) On issuing to one of the parties directly concerned a certificate under this section in respect of an interest in land, the local planning authority shall serve a copy of the certificate on the other of those parties.