The Strategic Investment and Regeneration of Sites (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Functions of the Office in relation to relevant sites

Disposal of relevant sites by the Office

10.—(1) The Office may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, dispose of any land forming all or part of a relevant site and vested in the Office.

(2) A disposal under this Article –

(a) may be for value or otherwise; and

(b) shall be on such terms and conditions as the Office may think fit.

(3) In particular on any such disposal the Office may –

(a) impose such restrictions as the Office may think necessary on the use of the land disposed of; and

(b) grant or reserve such rights over the land as the Office may think fit.

(4) Nothing in section 5 of the Stormont Regulation and Government Property Act (Northern Ireland) 1933 (c. 6) affects the disposal by the Office of land forming all or part of a relevant site.

Regeneration of relevant sites by the Office

11.—(1) For the purpose of securing the regeneration of a relevant site, the Office may –

(a) carry out the development or redevelopment of land, including the conversion or demolition of existing buildings;

(b) carry out building and other operations;

(c) provide services and facilities;

(d) form, or acquire interests in, bodies corporate;

(e) act with other persons, whether in partnership or otherwise;

(f) give financial assistance to other bodies or persons in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5);

(g) carry out studies, investigations and research;

(h) generally do anything necessary or expedient for that purpose.

(2) The Office may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, provide financial assistance for any body or person doing or intending to do on or in relation to a relevant site anything falling within paragraph (3).

(3) Financial assistance under paragraph (2) may be provided for –

(a) the promotion, development or regeneration of commercial, industrial or other economic activity;

(b) the improvement of the environment;

(c) the provision of housing;

(d) the provision of social, cultural, recreational or community facilities;

(e) the refurbishment or restructuring of buildings;

(f) anything not falling within sub-paragraphs (a) to (e) which the Office considers will benefit the site.

(4) Financial assistance under paragraph (2) may include –

(a) grants;

(b) loans;

(c) guarantees;

(d) the taking of any interest in property or in a body corporate.

(5) In providing financial assistance under paragraph (2), the Office may impose such conditions as it thinks fit, including conditions for repayment in specified circumstances.

Acquisition of land by the Office

12.—(1) The Office may acquire by agreement or compulsorily land which –

(a) is adjacent to a relevant site and is required by the Office for purposes connected with the discharge of its functions in relation to the site; or

(b) is required to provide or improve access to a relevant site.

(2) Parts I and III of Schedule 2 shall have effect in relation to –

(a) the compulsory acquisition of land under paragraph (1); and

(b) powers of entry in connection with the acquisition of land under that paragraph.

(3) Where land is acquired by the Office under paragraph (1) in connection with a relevant site, that land shall for the purposes of this Part be taken to form part of the relevant site.

Agreements and consultation with other bodies and persons

13.—(1) The Office may –

(a) enter into an agreement with any person for the development of any land forming all or part of a relevant site, and

(b) do anything which is required in order to secure the development of that land in accordance with such agreement.

(2) The Office shall consult –

(a) the district council for the district in which a relevant site is situated;

(b) such other public bodies as the Office thinks appropriate; and

(c) such other bodies or persons as appear to the Office to have an interest in the site,

about the exercise of the Office’s functions under Article 11 in relation to the site.

Powers of Office not exercisable where development corporation established

14.  Articles 10 to 13 do not apply in relation to any relevant site for which a development corporation is for the time being established under Article 15.