26.—(1) The undertaker may in connection with the carrying out of the authorised development or any other development necessary for the authorised development that takes place within the Order land—
(a)enter on and take possession of—
(i)so much of the land specified in columns (1) and (2) of Schedule 8 (land of which temporary possession may be taken) for the purpose specified in relation to that land in column (3) of that Schedule; or
(ii)any other Order land in respect of which no notice of entry has been served under section 11 of the 1965 Act (powers of entry) (other than in connection with the acquisition of rights only) and no declaration has been made under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 (execution of declaration);
(b)remove any buildings, fences, debris and vegetation from that land;
(c)construct temporary works (including the provision of means of access) and buildings on that land; and
(d)construct any works specified in relation to that land in column (3) of Schedule 8 (land of which temporary possession may be taken), or any other mitigation works.
(2) Not less than 14 days before entering on and taking temporary possession of land under this article the undertaker must serve notice of the intended entry on the owners and occupiers of the land.
(3) The undertaker may not, without the agreement of the owners of the land, remain in possession of any land under this article—
(a)in the case of land specified in paragraph (1)(a)(i) after the end of the period of one year beginning with the date of final commissioning of the authorised development; or
(b)in the case of land referred to in paragraph (1)(a)(ii) after the end of the period of one year beginning with the date of final commissioning of the authorised development unless the undertaker has, before the end of that period, served notice of entry under section 11 of the 1965 Act or made a declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 or has otherwise acquired the land subject to temporary possession.
(4) Unless the undertaker has served notice of entry under section 11 of the 1965 Act or made a declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 or has otherwise acquired the land subject to temporary possession, the undertaker must before giving up possession of land of which temporary possession has been taken under this article, remove all temporary works and restore the land to the reasonable satisfaction of the owners of the land but the undertaker is not to be required to replace a building or any debris removed under this article.
(5) The undertaker must pay compensation to the owners and occupiers of land of which temporary possession is taken under this article for any loss or damage arising from the exercise in relation to the land of the provisions of this article.
(6) Any dispute as to a person’s entitlement to compensation under paragraph (5), or as to the amount of the compensation, is to be determined under Part 1 of the 1961 Act.
(7) Nothing in this article affects any liability to pay compensation under section 10(2) of the 1965 Act (further provisions as to compensation for injurious affection) or under any other enactment in respect of loss or damage arising from the carrying out of the authorised development, other than loss or damage for which compensation is payable under paragraph (5).
(8) The undertaker may not compulsorily acquire under this Order the land referred to in paragraph (1)(a)(i).
(9) Nothing in this article precludes the undertaker from—
(a)creating and acquiring new rights or imposing restrictions over any part of the Order land identified in part 1 of the book of reference under article 18 (compulsory acquisition of rights etc); or
(b)acquiring any right in the subsoil of any part of the Order land identified in part 1 of the book of reference under article 22 (acquisition of subsoil only) or article 25 (rights under or over streets).
(10) Where the undertaker takes possession of land under this article, the undertaker is not to be required to acquire the land or any interest in it.
(11) Section 13 of the 1965 Act (refusal to give possession to acquiring authority) applies to the temporary use of land pursuant to this article to the same extent as it applies to the compulsory acquisition of land under this Order by virtue of section 125 of the 2008 Act (application of compulsory acquisition provisions).
(12) Nothing in this article prevents the taking of temporary possession more than once in relation to any land specified in Schedule 8 (land of which temporary possession may be taken).