§ ACQUISITION OF LAND BY AGREEMENT BY PRINCIPAL COUNCILS
§ Mr. Graham PageI beg to move Amendment No. 990, in page 75, line 24, leave out from '31' to end of line 25.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Miss Harvie Anderson)We can also discuss Amendment 991.
§ Mr. PageAmendments 990 and 991 extend to county, district and parish councils the power to over-ride restrictive covenants on due payment of compensation when they acquire land by agreement, in the same way as if the land were being acquired compulsorily. The basis for this provision is that where land is needed for urgent development but is burdened by restrictive covenants, the local authority should not have to go through the process of applying for those to be removed by the Lands Tribunal or perhaps risk an injunction against it for being in breach of the covenants. Parliament has granted similar powers to many authorities in local Acts both to counties and county districts. So far as we know in the Department there is no evidence of any complaint about the use of these powers. I think it is proper now to extend them to the county, district and parish councils when they have a right to acquire land by agreement.
§ Amendment agreed to.