Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023

181 Online publicity

(1) The Acquisition of Land Act 1981 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 7(1) (definitions), after the definition of “acquiring authority” insert—

• ““appropriate website”, in relation to a notice about a proposed compulsory purchase, means a website which members of the public could reasonably be expected to find on searching on the internet for information about the scheme or project that underlies the proposed purchase,”.

(3) In section 11 (requirement to publish notice of compulsory purchase order in newspaper)—

(a) for the heading substitute “Public notices”;

(b) in subsection (1)—

(i) the words from “in two” to “situated” become paragraph (a);

(ii) at the end insert “, and

(b) for a period of at least 21 days ending with the day specified under subsection (2)(d), publish a notice in the prescribed form on an appropriate website.”;

(c) in subsection (2)—

(i) in the words before paragraph (a), for “notice” substitute “notices”;

(ii) omit the “and” at the end of paragraph (c);

(iii) after paragraph (c) insert—

“(ca) specify a website on which those copies may be viewed, and”;

(iv) for paragraph (d) substitute—

“(d) specify the final day for making objections to the order, and the manner in which objections can be made.”;

(d) after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) If the confirming authority is satisfied that, because of special circumstances, it is impracticable for the acquiring authority to make the copies referred to in subsection (2)(c) available for inspection at an appropriate place, the confirming authority may direct that the requirement in subsection (2)(c) (together with that in section 12(1)(ba)) is not to apply.”;

(e) in subsection (4)(b), omit the words from “(but” to “affixed)”.

(4) In section 12(1) (requirement to serve notice on certain affected persons)—

(a) omit the “and” at the end of paragraph (b);

(b) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) (subject to section 11(2A)) naming a place within the locality where a copy of the order and of the map referred to in it may be inspected,

(bb) specifying a website on which those copies may be viewed, and”;

(c) for paragraph (c) substitute—

“(c) specifying the final day for making objections to the order, and the manner in which objections can be made.”

(5) After section 12 insert—

“12A Final day for making objections

(1) For the purposes of sections 11 and 12, the day specified as the final day for making objections must be the last day, or a day after the last day, of the period of 21 days beginning with the first day at the beginning of which the acquiring authority expects that all of the following conditions will be satisfied.

(2) The conditions are that—

(a) a notice has been published for the first time as required by section 11(1)(a),

(b) publication as required by section 11(1)(b) has begun,

(c) a notice has been affixed as required by section 11(3), and

(d) a notice has been served on every qualifying person as required by section 12(1).”

(6) In section 15 (notices after confirmation of compulsory purchase order)—

(a) in subsection (3)—

(i) the words from “in one” to “situated” become paragraph (a);

(ii) at the end of that paragraph insert “, and

(b) on an appropriate website, until the end of the period of 6 weeks beginning with the day on which the authority takes the final step needed to comply with subsection (1)(a).”;

(b) in subsection (3A), for “(3)” substitute “(3)(a)”;

(c) in subsection (3B)—

(i) for “(3)” substitute “(3)(a)”;

(ii) after “(3A),” insert “or with subsection (3)(b),”;

(d) in subsection (4), after paragraph (c) insert—

“(ca) specifying a website on which those copies may be viewed;”;

(e) after subsection (4) insert—

“(4A) If the confirming authority is satisfied that, because of special circumstances, it is impracticable for the acquiring authority to make the copies referred to in subsection (4)(c) available for inspection at an appropriate place, the confirming authority may direct that the requirement in subsection (4)(c) is not to apply.”

(7) In section 22 (requirement to publish notice of certificate under Part 3 of the Act)—

(a) the words from “in one” to “situated” become paragraph (a);

(b) at the end of that paragraph insert “, and

(b) on an appropriate website, until the end of the period of 6 weeks beginning with the day on which the certificate is given,”.

(8) In paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 (requirement to publish notice of certificate under that Schedule)—

(a) the words from “in one” to “situated” become paragraph (a);

(b) at the end of that paragraph insert “, and

(b) on an appropriate website, until the end of the period of 6 weeks beginning with the day on which the certificate is given,”.