The A1 in Northumberland: Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order 2024

Authority to survey and investigate the land

26.—(1) The undertaker may for the purposes of this Order enter on any land shown within the Order limits or which may be affected by the authorised development and—

(a) survey or investigate the land;

(b) without limitation to the scope of sub-paragraph (a), make trial holes in such positions on the land as the undertaker thinks fit to investigate the nature of the surface layer and subsoil and remove soil samples;

(c) without limitation to the scope of sub-paragraph (a), carry out ecological or archaeological investigations on such land; and

(d) place on, leave on and remove from the land apparatus for use in connection with the survey and investigation of land and making of trial holes.

(2) No land may be entered or equipment placed or left on or removed from the land under paragraph (1) unless at least 14 days’ notice has been served on every owner and occupier of the land.

(3) Any person entering land under this article on behalf of the undertaker—

(a) must, if so required, before or after entering the land, produce written evidence of their authority to do so; and

(b) may take onto the land such vehicles and equipment as are necessary to carry out the surveyor investigation or to make the trial holes.

(4) No trial holes are to be made under this article—

(a) in land located within a highway boundary without the consent of the local highway authority; or

(b) in a private street without the consent of the street authority,

but such consent must not be unreasonably withheld.

(5) The undertaker must compensate the owners and occupiers of the land for any loss or damage arising by reason of the exercise of the authority conferred by this article, such compensation to be determined, in case of dispute, as if it were a dispute under Part 1 (determination of questions of disputed compensation) of the 1961 Act.

(6) If either the local highway authority or street authority which receives an application for consent fails to notify the undertaker of its decision within 28 days of receiving the application for consent—

(a) under paragraph (4)(a) in the case of the local highway authority; or

(b) under paragraph (4)(b) in the case of a street authority,

that authority will be deemed to have granted consent.

(7) Any application for consent under paragraph (4) must include a statement that the provisions of paragraph (6) apply to that application.