Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Service of purchase notices E+W

137 Circumstances in which purchase notices may be served. E+W

(1) This section applies where—

(a) on an application for planning permission to develop any land, permission is refused or is granted subject to conditions; or

(b) by an order under section 97 planning permission in respect of any land is revoked, or is modified by the imposition of conditions; or

(c) an order is made under section 102 or paragraph 1 of Schedule 9 in respect of any land.

(2) If—

(a) in the case mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b), any owner of the land claims that the conditions mentioned in subsection (3) are satisfied with respect to it, or

(b) in the case mentioned in subsection (1)(c), any person entitled to an interest in land in respect of which the order is made claims that the conditions mentioned in subsection (4) are satisfied with respect to it,

he may, within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner, serve on the council of the district [F1 , Welsh county, county borough] or London borough in which the land is situated a notice (in this Act referred to as “a purchase notice”) requiring that council to purchase his interest in the land in accordance with this Chapter.

(3) The conditions mentioned in subsection (2)(a) are—

(a) that the land has become incapable of reasonably beneficial use in its existing state; and

(b) in a case where planning permission was granted subject to conditions or was modified by the imposition of conditions, that the land cannot be rendered capable of reasonably beneficial use by the carrying out of the permitted development in accordance with those conditions; and

(c) in any case, that the land cannot be rendered capable of reasonably beneficial use by the carrying out of any other development for which planning permission has been granted or for which the local planning authority or the Secretary of State has undertaken to grant planning permission.

(4) The conditions mentioned in subsection (2)(b) are—

(a) that by reason of the order the land is incapable of reasonably beneficial use in its existing state; and

(b) that it cannot be rendered capable of reasonably beneficial use by the carrying out of any development for which planning permission has been granted, whether by that order or otherwise.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) and any claim arising in the circumstances mentioned in that subsection, the conditions referred to in sections 91 and 92 shall be disregarded.

(6) A person on whom a M1 repairs notice has been served under section 48 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 [F2 or section 138 of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023] shall not be entitled to serve a notice under this section in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (1)(a) in respect of the building in question—

(a) until the expiration of three months beginning with the date of the service of the repairs notice; and

(b) if during that period the compulsory acquisition of the building is begun in the exercise of powers under section 47 of [F3 the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 or section 137 of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023], unless and until the compulsory acquisition is discontinued.

(7) For the purposes of subsection (6) a compulsory acquisition—

(a) is started when the notice required by section 12 of the M2 Acquisition of Land Act 1981 or, as the case may be, paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to that Act is served; and

(b) is discontinued—

(i) in the case of acquisition by the Secretary of State [F4 or the Welsh Ministers], when he decides [F5 or they decide] not to make the compulsory purchase order; and

(ii) in any other case, when the order is withdrawn or the Secretary of State decides not to confirm it.

(8) No purchase notice shall be served in respect of an interest in land while the land is incapable of reasonably beneficial use by reason only of such an order as is mentioned in subsection (1)(c), except by virtue of a claim under subsection (2)(b).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 137(2) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 20(4), Sch. 6 Pt. II para. 24(3) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 3, Sch. 1

F2 Words in s. 137(6) inserted (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 13 para. 74(a)(i) (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

F3 Words in s. 137(6)(b) substituted (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 13 para. 74(a)(ii) (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

F4 Words in s. 137(7)(b)(i) inserted (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 13 para. 74(b)(i) (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

F5 Words in s. 137(7)(b)(i) inserted (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 13 para. 74(b)(ii) (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

Marginal Citations

M1 1990 c. 9

M2 1981 c. 67.

[F6 137A Purchase notices: Crown land E+W

(1) A purchase notice may be served in respect of Crown land only as mentioned in this section.

(2) The owner of a private interest in Crown land must not serve a purchase notice unless—

(a) he first offers to dispose of his interest to the appropriate authority on equivalent terms, and

(b) the offer is refused by the appropriate authority.

(3) The appropriate authority may serve a purchase notice in relation to the following land—

(a) land belonging to Her Majesty in right of Her private estates;

(b) land belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Duchy of Lancaster;

(c) land belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall;

(d) land which forms part of the Crown Estate.

(4) An offer is made on equivalent terms if the price payable for the interest is equal to (and, in default of agreement, determined in the same manner as) the compensation which would be payable in respect of it if it were acquired in pursuance of a purchase notice.

(5) Expressions used in this section and in Part 13 must be construed in accordance with that Part.]

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 137A inserted (7.6.2006) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), ss. 79, 121, Sch. 3 para. 1 (with s. 111); S.I. 2004/1281, art. 2

138 Circumstances in which land incapable of reasonably beneficial use. E+W

(1) Where, for the purpose of determining whether the conditions specified in section 137(3) or (4) are satisfied in relation to any land, any question arises as to what is or would in any particular circumstances be a reasonably beneficial use of that land, then, in determining that question for that purpose, no account shall be taken of any unauthorised prospective use of that land.

(2) A prospective use of land shall be regarded as unauthorised for the purposes of subsection (1)—

(a) if it would involve the carrying out of [F7 development other than any development specified in paragraph 1 or 2 of Schedule 3;]or

(b) in the case of a purchase notice served in consequence of a refusal or conditional grant of planning permission, if it would contravene the condition set out in Schedule 10.

Textual Amendments

F7 Words in s. 138(2)(a) substituted (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), s. 31, Sch. 6 para.18 (with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art.3 (subject to art. 4)