31.—(1) The undertaker may, in connection with the carrying out of the authorised development, and subject to article 24 (time limit for exercise of authority to acquire land compulsorily)—
(a)enter on and take temporary possession of—
(i)the land specified in column (1) of Schedule 7 (land of which temporary possession may be taken) for the purpose specified in relation to that land in column (2) of that Schedule relating to the part of the authorised development specified in column (3) of that Schedule; and
(ii)any other Order land in respect of which no notice of entry has been served under section 11(1) (powers of entry) of the 1965 Act (other than in connection with the acquisition of rights only) and no declaration has been made under section 4(2) (execution of declaration) of the 1981 Act;
(b)remove any buildings and vegetation from that land;
(c)construct temporary works (including the provision of means of access) and buildings on that land; and
(d)construct any works on that land as are mentioned in Schedule 1 (authorised development).
(2) Not less than 14 days before entering on and taking temporary possession of land under this article the undertaker must serve notice of the intended entry on the owners and occupiers of the land and explain the purpose for which entry is taken in respect of land specified under paragraph (1)(a)(ii).
(3) The undertaker must not, without the agreement of the owners of the land, remain in possession of any land under this article—
(a)in the case of land specified in paragraph (1)(a)(i), after the end of the period of one year beginning with the date of completion of the part of the authorised development specified in relation to that land in column (3) of Schedule 7; or
(b)in the case of any land referred to in paragraph (1)(a)(ii), after the end of the period of one year beginning with the date of completion of the work for which temporary possession of the land was taken unless the undertaker has, by the end of that period, served a notice of entry under section 11 of the 1965 Act or made a declaration under section 4 of the 1981 Act in relation to that land.
(4) Before giving up possession of land of which temporary possession has been taken under this article, the undertaker must remove all temporary works and restore the land to the condition it was in on the date on which possession of the land was first taken by the undertaker or such other condition as may be agreed with the owners of the land; but the undertaker is not required to—
(a)replace a building removed under this article;
(b)restore the land on which any permanent works have been constructed under paragraph (1)(d);
(c)remove any ground strengthening works which have been placed on the land to facilitate construction of the authorised development; or
(d)remove any measures installed over or around statutory undertakers’ apparatus to protect that apparatus from the authorised development;
(5) The undertaker must pay compensation to the owners and occupiers of land of which temporary possession is taken under this article for any loss or damage arising from the exercise in relation to the land of the provisions of this article.
(6) Any dispute as to a person’s entitlement to compensation under paragraph (5), or as to the amount of the compensation, is to be determined as if it were a dispute under Part 1 of the 1961 Act.
(7) Any dispute as to the removal of temporary works and restoration of land under paragraph (4) does not prevent the undertaker giving up possession of the land.
(8) Nothing in this article affects any liability to pay compensation under section 152(3) (compensation in case where no right to claim in nuisance) of the 2008 Act or under any other enactment in respect of loss or damage arising from the carrying out of the authorised development, other than loss or damage for which compensation is payable under paragraph (5).
(9) The undertaker may not compulsorily acquire under this Order the land referred to in paragraph (1)(a)(i).
(10) Where the undertaker takes possession of land under this article, the undertaker is not required to acquire the land or any interest in it.
(11) Section 13(4) (refusal to give possession to acquiring authority) of the 1965 Act applies to the temporary use of land under this article to the same extent as it applies to the compulsory acquisition of land under this Order by virtue of section 125 (application of compulsory acquisition provisions) of the 2008 Act.
(12) The provisions of the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017(5) do not apply insofar as they relate to temporary possession of land under this article in relation to the construction of any work or the carrying out of any operation required for the purpose of, or in connection with, the construction of the authorised development.
Commencement Information
I1Art. 31 in force at 7.12.2022, see art. 1
Section 11 was amended by section 34(1) of, and paragraph 14(3) of Schedule 4 to, the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (c. 67), section 3 of, and Part 1 of Schedule 1 to, the Housing (Consequential Provisions) Act 1985 (c. 71), section 14 of, and paragraph 12(1) of Schedule 5 to, the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2006 (No.1), sections 186, 187 and 188 of, and paragraph 6 of Schedules 14 and paragraphs 2 and 3 of Schedule 16 to, the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and S.I. 2009/1307.
Section 4 was amended by sections 184 and 185 of, and paragraph 2 of Schedule 18 to, the Housing and Planning Act 2016.
Section 152 was amended by S.I. 2009/1307.
Section 13 was amended by sections 62(3) and 139 of, and paragraph 27 and 28 of Schedule 13, and Part 3 of Schedule 23 to, the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15).