(1)The objects of a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town shall be to secure the laying out and development of the new town in accordance with proposals approved in that behalf under the following provisions of this Act.
(2)Subject to section 4 of this Act, every such corporation shall, for the purpose of securing the laying out and development of the new town as aforesaid, have power—
(a)to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land and other property;
(b)to carry out building and other operations;
(c)to provide water, electricity, gas, sewerage and other services;
(d)to carry on any business or undertaking in or for the purposes of the new town,
and generally to do anything necessary or expedient for the purposes of the new town or for purposes incidental thereto.
(3)Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred on development corporations by this Act, a development corporation—
(a)may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, contribute such sums as the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Treasury, may determine towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred by any local authority or statutory undertakers in the performance, in relation to the new town, of any of their statutory functions, including expenditure so incurred in the acquisition of land; and
(b)may, with the like consent, contribute such sums as the Secretary of State, with the like concurrence, may determine by way of assistance towards the provision of amenities for the new town.
(4)For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that subsection (2) above relates only to the capacity of a development corporation as a statutory corporation; and nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising the disregard by a development corporation of any enactment or rule of law.
(5)For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby also declared—
(a)that the power of acquiring land conferred by subsection (2) above on a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town includes power to acquire any land within the area of the new town, whether or not it is proposed to develop that particular land; and
(b)that the power of disposing of land conferred by that subsection on such a development corporation includes, in relation to any land within the area of the new town, power to dispose of that land whether or not the development of that particular land has been proposed or approved under section 6(1) of this Act.