Housing Act 1957

5 (1) If no objection is duly made by any of the persons on whom notices are required to be served, or if all objections so made are withdrawn, then, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the Minister may, if he think fit, confirm the order with or without modification.

(2) If any objection duly made is not withdrawn, the Minister shall, before confirming the order, either cause a public local inquiry to be held or afford to any person by whom an objection has been duly made as aforesaid and not withdrawn an opportunity of appearing before and being heard by a person appointed for the purpose, and, after considering any objection not withdrawn and the report of the person who held the inquiry or of the person appointed as aforesaid, may, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, confirm the order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

(3) Where any objection not withdrawn has been made on the ground that a building included in the clearance order is not unfit for human habitation the public local inquiry or hearing shall not be held earlier than the expiration of fourteen days after it has been shown to the satisfaction of the Minister that the local authority have served upon the objector a notice in writing stating what facts they allege as their principal grounds for being satisfied that the building is so unfit.

(4) A person who objects to a clearance order on the ground that a building included therein, being a building in which he is interested, is not unfit for human habitation and who appears at the public local inquiry or hearing in support of his objection shall, if the building is included in the order as confirmed as being unfit for human habitation, be entitled, on making a request in writing, to be furnished by the Minister with a statement in writing of his reasons for deciding that the building is so unfit.