120.Section 17 of the 1845 Lands Act requires an acquiring authority to give notice of its intention to take land by way of service of a notice to treat. That section is incorporated with the Act by virtue of section 21. In relation to compulsory purchase orders, section 78 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c.34) limits the life of a notice to treat served under section 17 to three years from the date on which it is served. Section 78 only applies for the purposes of any compulsory purchase orders and a corresponding 3 year time limit is therefore applied in the Act by section 34.
121.Subsection (1) provides that the time limit shall be three years unless any of the reasons listed in paragraphs (a) to (c) apply.
122.Subsection (2) allows the three year time limit period to be extended for any period of time provided that the Scottish Ministers and the owner of the land both agree to that extension.
123.Subsection (3) ensures that the Scottish Ministers must inform the relevant person when a notice to treat becomes invalid because it has not been served either within 3 years or within such period as agreed.