{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/acquisition-of-land-act-1981/section-12",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/acquisition-of-land-act-1981/section-12.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1981/67",
  "legislation_title": "Acquisition of Land Act 1981",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/acquisition-of-land-act-1981",
  "path": "section/12",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "12",
  "heading": "Notices to owners, lessees , occupiers and others.",
  "text": "(1) The acquiring authority shall serve on every qualifying person a notice in the prescribed form—\n(a) stating the effect of the order,\n(b) stating that it is about to be submitted for confirmation, and\n(ba) (subject to section 11(2A)) naming a place within the locality where a copy of the order and of the map referred to in it may be inspected,\n(bb) specifying a website on which those copies may be viewed, and\n(c) specifying the time (not being less than twenty-one days from service of the notice) within which, and the manner in which, objections to the order can be made.\n(c) specifying the final day for making objections to the order, and the manner in which objections can be made.\n(2) A person is a qualifying person, in relation to land comprised in an order, if—\n(a) he is an owner, lessee, tenant (whatever the tenancy period) or occupier of the land, ...\n(b) he falls within subsection (2A) , or\n(c) the person is entitled to the benefit of an obligation under a conservation covenant (within the meaning of Part 7 of the Environment Act 2021) relating to the land.\n(2A) A person falls within this subsection if he is—\n(a) a person to whom the acquiring authority would, if proceeding under section 5(1) of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965, be required to give a notice to treat, or\n(b) a person the acquiring authority thinks is likely to be entitled to make a relevant claim if the order is confirmed and the compulsory purchase takes place, so far as he is known to the acquiring authority after making diligent inquiry.\n(2B) A relevant claim is a claim for compensation under section 10 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 (compensation for injurious affection).\n(3) Where under this section any notice is required to be served on an owner of land, and the land is ecclesiastical property, a like notice shall be served on the Church Commissioners Diocesan Board of Finance for the diocese in which the land is situated .\nIn this subsection “ecclesiastical property” means land belonging to any ecclesiastical benefice of the Church of England , or being or forming part of a church subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop of any diocese of the Church of England or the site of such a church, or being or forming part of a burial ground subject to such jurisdiction or being diocesan glebe land within the meaning of the Endowments and Glebe Measure 1976.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 12(1) substituted (6.8.2004 for specified purposes, 31.10.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), s. 100(5)(a) (with s. 100(8)); S.I. 2004/2097, art. 2; S.I. 2004/2593, art. 2(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 12(1)(b) omitted (31.1.2024 for specified purposes, 30.4.2024 for E. in so far as not already in force, 2.12.2025 for specified purposes) by virtue of Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), ss. 181(4)(a), 255(7) (with s. 247); S.I. 2024/92, reg. 2(j); S.I. 2024/389, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 4); S.I. 2025/1262, reg. 2(1)(a)(2) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 12(1)(ba)(bb) inserted (31.1.2024 for specified purposes, 30.4.2024 for E. in so far as not already in force, 2.12.2025 for specified purposes) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), ss. 181(4)(b), 255(7) (with s. 247); S.I. 2024/92, reg. 2(j); S.I. 2024/389, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 4); S.I. 2025/1262, reg. 2(1)(a)(2) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 12(1)(c) substituted (31.1.2024 for specified purposes, 30.4.2024 for E. in so far as not already in force, 2.12.2025 for specified purposes) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), ss. 181(4)(c), 255(7) (with s. 247); S.I. 2024/92, reg. 2(j); S.I. 2024/389, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 4); S.I. 2025/1262, reg. 2(1)(a)(2) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 12(2)-(2B) substituted for s. 12(2) (6.8.2004 for specified purposes, 31.10.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), s. 100(5)(b) (with s. 100(8)); S.I. 2004/2097, art. 2; S.I. 2004/2593, art. 2(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Word in s. 12(2)(a) omitted (30.9.2022) by virtue of Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(3), Sch. 20 para. 2(3)(a) (with s. 144); S.I. 2022/48, reg. 5(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 12(2)(c) and word inserted (30.9.2022) by Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(3), Sch. 20 para. 2(3)(b) (with s. 144); S.I. 2022/48, reg. 5(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 12(3) substituted (E.) (1.10.2006) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2006 (No. 1), s. 16(2), Sch. 5 para. 24(1)(a); 2006 No. 2, Instrument made by Archbishops"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 12(3) inserted (E.) (1.10.2006) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2006 (No. 1), s. 16(2), Sch. 5 para. 24(1)(b); 2006 No. 2, Instrument made by Archbishops"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 12(3) added (25.09.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 28:1), s. 70, Sch. 15 para. 27; S.I. 1991/2067, art. 3."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 12(3) omitted (E.) (1.10.2006) by virtue of Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2006 (No. 1), s. 16(2), Sch. 5 para. 24(1)(c); 2006 No. 2, Instrument made by Archbishops"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 12 heading substituted (30.9.2022) by virtue of Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(3), Sch. 20 para. 2(2) (with s. 144); S.I. 2022/48, reg. 5(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 12(2) and (3) applied (31.10.1994) by 1958 c. 69, s. 16(7A) as inserted (31.10.1994) by 1994 c. 21, s. 52, Sch. 8 para. 14(9) (with s. 40(7)); S.I. 1994/2553, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 12 modified by Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (c. 9, SIF 123:1), s. 50(3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/67/section/12",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-07T03:33:44.407661+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}