Town and Country Planning Act 1990

153 Reference of objection to Lands Tribunal: general

(1) Where a counter-notice has been served under section 151 objecting to a blight notice, the claimant may require the objection to be referred to the Lands Tribunal.

(2) Such a reference may be required under subsection (1) at any time before the end of the period of two months beginning with the date of service of the counter-notice.

(3) On any such reference, if the objection is not withdrawn, the Lands Tribunal shall consider—

(a) the matters set out in the notice served by the claimant, and

(b) the grounds of the objection specified in the counter-notice;

and, subject to subsection (4), unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Tribunal that the objection is not well-founded, the Tribunal shall uphold the objection.

(4) An objection on the grounds mentioned in section 151(4)(b), (c) or (d) shall not be upheld by the Tribunal unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Tribunal that the objection is well-founded.

(5) If the Tribunal determines not to uphold the objection, the Tribunal shall declare that the notice to which the counter-notice relates is a valid notice.

(6) If the Tribunal upholds the objection, but only on the grounds mentioned in section 151(4)(c), the Tribunal shall declare that the notice is a valid notice in relation to the part of the hereditament, or in the case of an agricultural unit the part of the affected area, specified in the counter-notice as being the part which the appropriate authority propose to acquire as mentioned in that notice, but not in relation to any other part of the hereditament or affected area.

(7) In a case falling within subsection (5) or (6), the Tribunal shall give directions specifying the date on which notice to treat (as mentioned in section 154) is to be deemed to have been served.

(8) This section shall have effect in relation to a further counter-notice served by virtue of section 152(1) as it has effect in relation to the counter-notice for which it is substituted.