Telecommunications Act 1984

21 (1) Where any person is for the time being entitled to require the removal of any of the operator’s telecommunication apparatus from any land (whether under any enactment or because that apparatus is kept on, under or over that land otherwise than in pursuance of a right binding that person or for any other reason) that person shall not be entitled to enforce the removal of the apparatus except, subject to sub-paragraph (12) below, in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph.

(2) The person entitled to require the removal of any of the operator’s telecommunication apparatus shall give a notice to the operator requiring the removal of the apparatus.

(3) Where a person gives a notice under sub-paragraph (2) above and the operator does not give that person a counter-notice within the period of 28 days beginning with the giving of the notice, that person shall be entitled to enforce the removal of the apparatus.

(4) A counter-notice given under sub-paragraph (3) above to any person by the operator shall do one or both of the following, that is to say—

(a) state that that person is not entitled to require the removal of the apparatus;

(b) specify the steps which the operator proposes to take for the purpose of securing a right as against that person to keep the apparatus on the land.

(5) Those steps may include any steps which the operator could take for the purpose of enabling him, if the apparatus is removed, to re-install the apparatus; and the fact that by reason of the following provisions of this paragraph any proposed re-installation is only hypothetical shall not prevent the operator from taking those steps or any court or person from exercising any function in consequence of those steps having been taken.

(6) Where a counter-notice is given under sub-paragraph (3) above to any person, that person may only enforce the removal of the apparatus in pursuance of an order of the court; and, where the counter-notice specifies steps which the operator is proposing to take to secure a right to keep the apparatus on the land, the court shall not make such an order unless it is satisfied—

(a) that the operator is not intending to take those steps or is being unreasonably dilatory in the taking of those steps; or

(b) that the taking of those steps has not secured, or will not secure, for the operator as against that person any right to keep the apparatus installed on, under or over the land or, as the case may be, to re-install it if it is removed.

(7) Where any person is entitled to enforce the removal of any apparatus under this paragraph (whether by virtue of sub-paragraph (3) above or an order of the court under sub-paragraph (6) above), that person may, without prejudice to any method available to him apart from this sub-paragraph for enforcing the removal of that apparatus, apply to the court for authority to remove it himself; and, on such an application, the court may, if it thinks fit, give that authority.

(8) Where an apparatus is removed by any person under an authority given by the court under sub-paragraph (7) above, any expenses incurred by him in or in connection with the removal of the apparatus shall be recoverable by him from the operator in any court of competent jurisdiction; and in so giving an authority to any person the court may also authorise him, in accordance with the directions of the court, to sell any apparatus removed under the authority and to retain the whole or a part of the proceeds of sale on account of those expenses.

(9) Any telecommunication apparatus kept installed on, under or over any land shall (except for the purposes of this paragraph and without prejudice to paragraphs 6(3) and 7(3) above) be deemed, as against any person who was at any time entitled to require the removal of the apparatus, but by virtue of this paragraph not entitled to enforce its removal, to have been lawfully so kept at that time.

(10) Where this paragraph applies (whether in pursuance of an enactment amended by Schedule 4 to this Act or otherwise) in relation to telecommunication apparatus the alteration of which some person(“the relevant person”) is entitled to require in consequence of the stopping up, closure, change or diversion of any [F1 street][F1 road] or the extinguishment or alteration of any public right of way—

(a) the removal of the apparatus shall constitute compliance with a requirement to make any other alteration;

(b) a counter-notice under sub-paragraph (3) above may state (in addition to, or instead of, any of the matters mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) above) that the operator requires the relevant person to reimburse him in respect of any expenses which he incurs in or in connection with the making of any alteration in compliance with the requirements of the relevant person;

(c) an order made under this paragraph on an application by the relevant person in respect of a counter-notice containing such a statement shall, unless the court otherwise thinks fit, require the relevant person to reimburse the operator in respect of any expenses which he so incurs; and

(d) sub-paragraph (8) above shall not apply.

(11) References in this paragraph to the operator’s telecommunication apparatus include references to telecommunication apparatus which (whether or not vested in the operator) is being, is to be or has been used for the purposes of the operator’s system.

(12) A person shall not, under this paragraph, be entitled to enforce the removal of any apparatus on the ground only that he is entitled to give a notice under paragraph 11, 14, 17 or 20 above; and this paragraph is without prejudice to paragraph 23 below and to the power to enforce an order of the court under the said paragraph 11, 14, 17 or 20.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word substituted (S.) by Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (c. 54, SIF 108), Sch. 9 para. 92(4)(k)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 2 para. 21 applied (E.W.S.) by Airports Act 1986 (c. 31, SIF 9), s. 62(7)

Sch. 2 para. 21 applied (S.) by Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 26, SIF 61), ss. 95, 335, Sch. 8 para. 11(5)

Sch. 2 para. 21 applied (N.I) (21.8.1991) by S.I. 1991/1220, arts. 1, 104(4)

Sch. 2 para. 21 applied (24.4.1994) by S.I. 1994/426 (N.I. 1), arts. 1(2), 12(6) (with arts. 2(3), 16)

Sch. 2 para. 21 applied (27.5.1997) by 1997 c. 8, ss. 212(8), 278(2)

C2 Sch. 2 para. 21 restricted (18.12.1996) by 1996 c. 61, s. 52, Sch. 15 Pt. IV para. 2(1)