Termination of planning permission by reference to time limit
37.—(1) Paragraphs (2) to (6) shall have effect where by virtue of Article 34 or 35, a planning permission is subject to a condition that the development to which the permission relates must be begun before the expiration of a particular period and that development has been begun within that period but the period has elapsed without the development having been completed.
(2) If the Department is of the opinion that the development will not be completed within a reasonable period, it may make an order (in this Article referred to as a “completion order”) whereby the planning permission will cease to have effect at the expiration of a further period specified in the order, being a period of not less than 12 months after the order takes effect.
(3) Before making a completion order, the Department shall serve notice of its intention to make the order on the owner and occupier of the land affected and on any other person who in its opinion would be affected by the order; and if within such period as may be specified in that behalf in the notice (not being less than 28 days from the date of service thereof) any person on whom the notice is served so requests in writing, the Department shall afford to him an opportunity of appearing before and being heard by the planning appeals commission.
(4) Where a completion order is made, the planning permission therein referred to shall at the expiration of the period specified in the order be invalid except so far as it authorises any development carried out thereunder up to the end of that period.
(5) Where the Department makes an order under this Article it shall serve a notice on any person mentioned in paragraph (3) stating the general effect of the order.
(6) The Department may withdraw a completion order at any time before the expiration of the period specified therein as the period at the expiration of which the planning permission is to cease to have effect; and if it does so it shall forthwith give notice of the withdrawal to every person who was served with notice of the making of the order.