2(1)If no representations or objections are duly made, or if any so made are withdrawn, then—
(a)the Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, confirm or make the order, as the case may be, with or without modifications;
(b)the authority by whom the order was made (where not the Secretary of State) may, instead of submitting the order to the Secretary of State, themselves confirm the order (but without any modification).
(2)If any representation or objection duly made is not withdrawn, the Secretary of State shall, before confirming or making the order, as the case may be, if the objection is made by a local authority cause a local inquiry to be held, and in any other case either—
(a)cause a local inquiry to be held, or
(b)afford to any person by whom any representation or objection has been duly made and not withdrawn an opportunity of being heard by a person appointed by him for the purpose,
and, after considering the report of the person appointed to hold the inquiry or to hear representations or objections, may, subject as provided below, confirm or make the order, as the case may be, with or without modifications.
In the case of a public path creation order or a public path diversion order, if objection is made by statutory undertakers on the ground that the order provides for the creation of a public right of way over land covered by works used for the purposes of their undertaking or the curtilage of such land, and the objection is not withdrawn, the order is subject to special parliamentary procedure.
(3)Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of State shall not confirm or make an order so as to affect land not affected by the order as submitted to him or the draft order prepared by him, as the case may be, except after—
(a)giving such notice as appears to him requisite of his proposal so to modify the order, specifying the time (which shall not be less than 28 days from the date of the first publication of the notice) within which, and the manner in which, representations or objections with respect to the proposal may be made,
(b)holding a local inquiry or affording to any person by whom any representation or objection has been duly made and not withdrawn an opportunity of being heard by a person appointed by him for the purpose, and
(c)considering the report of the person appointed to hold the inquiry or to hear representations or objections, as the case may be,
and, in the case of a public path creation order or a public path diversion order, if objection is made by statutory undertakers on the ground that the order as modified would provide for the creation of a public right of way over land covered by works used for the purposes of their undertaking or the curtilage of such land, and the objection is not withdrawn, the order is subject to special parliamentary procedure.