National Heritage Act 1983

7 After section 5 of the 1953 Act there shall be inserted—

“5A Acquisition by the Commission of historic buildings, etc.

(1) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, the Commission shall have power to acquire by agreement, whether by purchase, lease or otherwise, or to accept a gift of—

(a) any building which is situated in England and which appears to them to be one of outstanding historic or architectural interest;

(b) any building which is situated in England and in an area designated as a conservation area under section 277 of the [1971 c. 78.] Town and Country Planning Act 1971 and which appears to the Commission to be of special historic or architectural interest;

(c) any land which is situated in England and which comprises, or is contiguous or adjacent to, any building mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection ;

(d) any garden or other land which is situated in England and which appears to the Commission to be of outstanding historic interest but which is not contiguous or adjacent to a building which appears to the Commission to be of outstanding historic or architectural interest.

(2) The Commission shall have power to purchase by agreement, or to accept a gift of, any objects which it would (within the meaning of subsection (5) of this section) be historically appropriate to keep in—

(a) a building which, or any interest in which, is vested in the Commission, or a building which is under their management or in their custody, being in either case a building appearing to the Commission to be of outstanding historic or architectural interest; or

(b) a building of which the Commission are guardian under the [1979 c. 46.] Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 ; or

(c) a building situated in England which, or any interest in which, is vested in the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty.

(3) The Commission may make such arrangements as they may think fit as to the management or custody of any property acquired or accepted by them under this section, and as to the use of any such property, and may dispose of or otherwise deal with any such property as they may from time to time determine.

(4) The Commission shall not acquire or accept any property under subsection (1) of this section without the consent of the Secretary of State, which may be given subject to such conditions as he thinks fit.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (2) of this section, an object is one which it would be historically appropriate to keep in a building if—

(a) it is or has been ordinarily kept in the building; or

(b) it is historically associated with the building or connected with a person or event historically associated with the building ; or

(c) objects of its kind were produced or used in a period falling within the lifetime of the building ; or

(d) the Commission are of opinion that it would for some other reason be historically appropriate to keep it in the building.

5B Grants to local authorities and National Trust for acquisition of historic buildings.

(1) The Commission may make grants for the purpose of defraying in whole or in part any expenses incurred by a local authority in England in the acquisition of property situated in England under section 114 or 119(1)(b) or (c) of the [1971 c. 78.] Town and Country Planning Act 1971 (under which buildings of special architectural or historic interest may in certain cases be acquired by a local authority).

(2) The Commission may also make grants to the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty for the purpose of defraying in whole or in part any expenses incurred by them in the acquisition of—

(a) any building which is situated in England and which appears to the Commission to be of outstanding historic or architectural interest;

(b) any land which is situated in England and which comprises, or is contiguous or adjacent to, any such building; or

(c) any garden or other land which is situated in England and which appears to the Commission to be of outstanding historic interest but which is not contiguous or adjacent to a building which appears to the Commission to be of outstanding historic or architectural interest.”