Remedial notices
77.Section 54 makes provision about remedial notices, as defined at subsection (2). Subsection (1) enables the Scottish Ministers to give a person a remedial notice if it appears to them that the person has failed or is failing to comply with a condition on felling permission, a felling or restocking direction (including any associated conditions) or a registered notice to comply.
78.Section 54(3) requires that the Scottish Ministers give a copy of a remedial notice to the owner of the applicable land. Subsection (4) provides that a person may take any steps or stop any activity specified in the remedial notice despite any provision in any agreement relating to the trees or the land to which the notice relates or any associated conditions of the felling permission, felling or restocking direction or, as the case may be, registered notice to comply, which would otherwise prevent that person from doing so. Subsection (5) provides that the Scottish Ministers may vary or revoke a remedial notice (including any associated conditions).
79.Subsection (6) enables the Scottish Ministers, by regulations, to make further provision about remedial notices. Regulations may include provision about the imposition of conditions on a remedial notice, which may include steps that must be taken after the notice is complied with (subsection 7). Section 76(1)(h) provides that regulations under section 54(6) are subject to negative procedure.
80.Section 55 creates an offence, punishable upon summary conviction by a fine of up to level 5 on the standard scale, of failure, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a remedial notice (including any associated conditions). Section 56 enables the Scottish Ministers to apply to register remedial notices, specifying the matters set out in subsections (a) and (b). Section 57 creates an offence, punishable upon summary conviction by a fine of up to level 5 on the standard scale, of failure, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a registered remedial notice.