(1)If the acquiring authority have served notice to treat in respect of any of the land and have served on the owner, lessee and occupier of that land not less than fourteen days notice, the acquiring authority may enter on and take possession of that land, or of such part of that land as is specified in the notice ; and then any compensation agreed or awarded for the land of which possession is taken shall carry interest at the rate prescribed under section 32 of the [1961 c. 33.] Land Compensation Act 1961 from the time of entry until the compensation is paid, or is paid into court in accordance with this Act.
Where under this subsection a notice is required to be served on an owner of land, and the land is ecclesiastical property as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the Act of 1946, a like notice shall be served on the Church Commissioners.
In this subsection owner " has the meaning given by section 8(1) of the Act of 1946.
(2)The acquiring authority may also enter on and take possession of any of the land by following the procedure in Schedule 3 to this Act.
Where this Part of this Act applies by virtue of Part V or Part II of the [1957 c. 56.] Housing Act 1957, this subsection has effect subject to section 98 and Schedule 1, paragraph 3, of that Act.
(3)For the purpose of surveying and taking levels of any of the land subject to compulsory purchase, of probing or boring to ascertain the nature of the soil and of setting out the line of the works, the acquiring authority, after giving not less than three nor more than fourteen days' notice to the owners or occupiers of that land, may enter on that land, but the acquiring authority shall make compensation for any damage thereby occasioned to the owners or occupiers of the land, and any question of disputed compensation under this subsection shall be referred to the Lands Tribunal.
(4)Except as provided by the foregoing provisions of this section, the acquiring authority shall not, except with the consent of the owners and occupiers, enter on any of the land subject to compulsory purchase until the compensation payable for the respective interests in that land has been agreed or awarded, and has been paid to the persons having those interests or has been paid into court in accordance with this Act.