# The A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025, Article 31: Application of the 1981 Act

Extent: E+W

(1) The 1981 Act applies as if this Order were a compulsory purchase order.
(2) The 1981 Act, as applied by paragraph (1), has effect with the following modifications.
(3) In section 1 (applic ation of Act)—
(a) in subsection (1), omit the words “in themselves”; and
(b) for subsection (2) substitute—
“(2) This section applies to any Minister, any local or other public authority or any other body or person authorised to acquire land by means of a compulsory purchase order.”.
(4) For section 4(1) (execution of declaration), substitute—
“(1) The acquiring authority may execute in respect of any of the land which they are authorised to acquire by the compulsory purchase order a declaration in the prescribed form vesting the land in themselves, or in the case of land or a right that they are authorised to acquire for the benefit of a statutory undertaker , public communications provider or local authority, in the statutory undertaker , public communications provider or local authority in question, from the end of such period as may be specified in the declaration (not being less than 3 months from the date on which the service of notices required by section 6 is completed).”
(5) In section 5(2) (earliest date for execution of declaration) omit the words from “, and this subsection” to the end.
(6) Omit section 5A (time limit for general vesting declaration).
(7) In section 5B(1) (extension of time limit during challenge) for “section 23 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (application to High Court in respect of compulsory purchase order), the three year period mentioned in section 5A” substitute “section 118 (legal challenges relating to applications for orders granting development consent) of the Planning Act 2008 the eight year period mentioned in article 27 (time limit for exercise of authority to acquire land compulsorily) of the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025.”
(8) In section 6(1)(b) (notices after execution of declaration), for “section 15 of, or paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to, the Acquisition of Land Act 1981” substitute “section 134 (notice of authorisation of compulsory acquisition) of the Planning Act 2008”.
(9) In section 7(1)(a) (constructive notice to treat), omit “(as modified by section 4 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981)”.
(10) In section 8 (vesting, and right to enter and take possession), after subsection (3), insert—
“(4) In this section references to the acquiring authority include any statutory undertaker , public communications provider or local authority referred to in section 4(1).”.
(11) In section 10(1) (acquiring authority’s liability arising on vesting of the land), after “vested in an acquiring authority” insert “or a statutory undertaker , public communications provider or local authority”.
(12) For section 11(1) (recovery of compensation overpaid), substitute—
“(1) This section applies where after the execution of a general vesting declaration a person (“the claimant”) claims compensation in respect of the acquisition of an interest in land by virtue of the declaration, and the acquiring authority pay compensation in respect of that interest.”.
(13) In Schedule A1 (counter-notice requiring purchase of land not in general vesting declaration), for paragraph 1(2) substitute—
“(2) But see article 33(4) (acquisition of subsoil or airspace only) of the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025, which excludes the acquisition of subsoil or airspace only from this Schedule.”.
(14) References to the 1965 Act in the 1981 Act are to be construed as references to the 1965 Act as applied by section 125 (application of compulsory acquisition provisions) of the 2008 Act (and as modified by this Order) to the compulsory acquisition of land under this Order.
(15) In this article, “public communications provider” means a public communications provider as defined in section 151(1) (interpretation of Chapter 1) of the Communications Act 2003.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/462/article/31 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/a122-lower-thames-crossing-development-consent-order-2025/article-31
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.