F1Part III Administration and Finance

Acquisition and disposal of land

39 Power of Minister to acquire and dispose of land.

(1)

Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Minister F2as regards F3England or Wales F4... may acquire (by purchase, lease or exchange) land which in his F5... opinion is suitable for afforestation or for purposes connected with forestry, together with any other land which must necessarily be acquired therewith, and may place any land acquired by him F6... under this section at the disposal of the F7appropriate forestry authority.

F8(2)

Subject to subsection (2A) below, the Minister F9... may dispose for any purpose of land acquired by him F10... under this section.

(2A)

Subsection (2) above shall not apply in relation to land acquired under this section which is in the Forest of Dean; but the Minister may sell any such land if in his opinion it is not needed, or ought not to be used, for the purpose of afforestation or any purpose connected with forestry, and may exchange any such land for other land more suitable for either of the said purposes and may pay or receive money for equality of exchange.

(3)

The Minister F11... shall have power, in the case of land acquired by him F12... under this section,—

(a)

to manage and use the land for such purposes as he thinks F13... fit (this power to include that of erecting buildings and other works on the land) where it is not for the time being placed at the disposal of the F7appropriate forestry authority under subsection (1) above; and

(b)

to let the land, or grant any interest or right in or over it.

F14(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F15(5)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6)

Schedule 4 to this Act shall have effect as respects the procedure applicable where the Minister acquires F16... land under this section, except in a case of compulsory purchase in accordance with the following section.