Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947

4 (1) If no objection is duly made by any such person as aforesaid [F1 or if no objection is duly made by the National Trust for Scotland in a case where the land comprised in the order was held inalienably by the Trust on the date of the passing of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 1976 and was acquired from the Trust by a crofter as defined in section 3 of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1955 in pursuance of an order under section 2(1) or 4(1) of the said Act of 1976] or if all objections so made are withdrawn, the confirming authority, on being satisfied that the proper notices have been published and served, may, if the authority think fit, confirm the order with or without modifications. S

(2) If any objection duly made as aforesaid is not withdrawn, the confirming authority shall, before confirming the order, either cause a public local inquiry to be held or afford to any person by whom any objection has been duly made as aforesaid and not withdrawn an opportunity of appearing before and being heard by a person appointed by the confirming authority for the purpose, and after considering the objection and the report of the person who held the inquiry or the person appointed as aforesaid, may confirm the order either with or without modifications.

(3) If any person by whom an objection has been made avails himself of the opportunity of being heard, the confirming authority shall afford to the acquiring authority, and to any other persons to whom it appears to the confirming authority expedient to afford it, an opportunity of being heard on the same occasion.

(4) Notwithstanding anything in the two last preceding sub-paragraphs, the confirming authority may require any person who has made an objection to state in writing the grounds thereof, and may disregard the objection for the purposes of this paragraph if the confirming authority is satisfied that the objection relates exclusively to matters which can be dealt with by the tribunal by whom the compensation is to be assessed.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words inserted by Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 1976 (c. 21, SIF 2:4), s. 22(1), Sch. 2 para. 3