The undertaker may acquire compulsorily so much of, or such rights in, the subsoil of the land referred to in paragraph (1) of article 17 (compulsory acquisition of land) and paragraph (1) of article 18 (compulsory acquisition of rights etc) as may be required for any purpose for which that land or rights or restrictions over that land may be created and acquired or imposed under that provision instead of acquiring the whole of the land.

Where the undertaker acquires any part of, or rights in, the subsoil of land under paragraph (1), the undertaker is not to be required to acquire an interest in any other part of the land.

Paragraph (2) does not prevent Schedule 2A to the 1965 Act (as modified by article 23 (application of Part 1 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965) from applying where the undertaker acquires a cellar, vault, arch or other construction forming part of a house, building or manufactory.