(1)Where a person applies for a felling licence and the Commissioners do not within three months after receiving the application, or within such further time as may be agreed with the applicant, give notice to him of their decision on the application (including any reference of the application under section 15 of this Act) the provisions of this Part of this Act shall apply in relation to the application as if it had been refused.
(2)If on an application for a felling licence—
(a)the Commissioners determine to grant the licence subject to conditions; and
(b)it appears to them that the applicant is not entitled to an interest in land which would enable him to comply with those conditions;
they may give notice in writing to that effect to the applicant and postpone consideration of the application until the person entitled to such an interest is joined as a party thereto.
Where a notice under this subsection is given, subsection (1) above shall apply as if, instead of referring to a period of three months after the Commissioners receive the application, it referred to a period of three months after the date on which the person entitled to such interest in the land as is mentioned in the notice is joined as a party to the application.