Section 172 Right to enter and survey landI1C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16C17C18C19C20C21C22C23C24C25C26C27C28C29C30C31
England and Wales
A person authorised in writing by an acquiring authority may enter and survey or value land in connection with a proposal to acquire an interest in or a right over land.
The person—
may only enter and survey or value land at a reasonable time, and
may not use force unless a justice of the peace has issued a warrant under section 173(1) authorising the person to do so.
The person must, if required when exercising or seeking to exercise the power conferred by subsection (1), produce—
evidence of the authorisation, and
a copy of any warrant issued under section 173(1).
An authorisation under subsection (1) may relate to the land which is the subject of the proposal or to other land.
If the land is unoccupied or the occupier is absent from the land when the person enters it, the person must leave it as secure against trespassers as when the person entered it.
In this section and sections 173 to 178 F1—
“acquiring authority” means a person who could be authorised to acquire compulsorily the land to which the proposal mentioned in subsection (1) relates (regardless of whether the proposal is to acquire an interest in or a right over the land or to take temporary possession of it), and
“owner” has the meaning given in section 7 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Words in s. 172(6) substituted (22.9.2017) by Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20), ss. 26(8)(b), 46(1) (with s. 31); S.I. 2017/936, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 5)
Modifications
- C1
S. 172 restricted (4.11.2022) by The A47/A11 Thickthorn Junction Development Consent Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/1070), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 67(1) (with arts. 4, 52, Sch. 9 para. 82)
- C2
S. 172 restricted (18.7.2023) by The Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/734), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 71(1) (with art. 19)
- C3
S. 172 restricted (3.8.2023) by The Hornsea Four Offshore Wind Farm Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/800), art. 1, Sch. 9 Pt. 4 para. 4(1) (with arts. 42, 43, Sch. 9 Pt. 1 para. 4, Sch. 9 Pt. 3 para. 6(1), Sch. 9 Pt. 4 para. 20, Sch. 9 Pt. 9 para. 4) (as amended (31.1.2024) by S.I. 2024/117, art. 1(2), Sch.)
- C4
S. 172 restricted (9.2.2024) by The A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Development Consent Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/60), art. 1, Sch. 11 para. 69(1) (with arts. 4, 52, Sch. 11 paras. 6, 24, 39(1), 55(1), 71(3), 84)
- C5
S. 172 restricted (13.3.2024) by The Medworth Energy from Waste Combined Heat and Power Facility Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/230), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 95(1) (with Sch. 11 paras. 5, 22, 37, 47, 82, 110)
- C6
S. 172 restricted (28.3.2024) by The A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Development Consent Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/360), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 66(1) (with arts. 18, 35, Sch. 9)
- C7
S. 172 restricted (11.4.2024) by The HyNet Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/436), art. 1(2), Sch. 10 para. 65(1) (with arts. 21, 41, Sch. 10)
- C8
S. 172 restricted (9.5.2024) by The Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon Extensions Offshore Wind Farm Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/564), art. 1, Sch. 14 Pt. 3 para. 4(1) (with arts. 35, 36, Sch. 14)
- C9
S. 172 restricted (3.8.2024) by The Sunnica Energy Farm Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/802), art. 1, Sch. 12 para. 109(1)(p) (with art. 44, Sch. 12)
- C10
S. 172 restricted (3.8.2024) by The Mallard Pass Solar Farm Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/796), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 76(1) (with Sch. 15)
- C11
S. 172 restricted (3.8.2024) by The Gate Burton Energy Park Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/807), art. 1, Sch. 14 para. 116(1) (with art. 45, Sch. 14)
- C12
S. 172 restricted (27.9.2024) by The Cottam Solar Project Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/943), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 118(1) (with art. 48, Sch. 15)
- C13
S. 172 restricted (25.10.2024) by The Associated British Ports (Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal) Development Consent Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1014), art. 1, Sch. 4 para. 71(1)(g) (with arts. 36, 40, Sch. 4)
- C14
S. 172 restricted (17.2.2025) by The Heckington Fen Solar Park Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/85), art. 1, Sch. 13 para. 85(1)(q) (with art. 43)
- C15
S. 172 restricted (4.4.2025) by The North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/362), art. 1, Sch. 14 para. 49(1)(s) (with Sch. 14)
- C16
S. 172 restricted (28.4.2025) by The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/468), art. 1, Sch. 10 Pt. 6 para. 4(s) (with arts. 47, 48, Sch. 10)
- C17
S. 172 restricted (1.5.2025) by The Viking CCS Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/509), art. 1(2), Sch. 9 para. 66(1) (with art. 41, Sch. 9)
- C18
S. 172 restricted (31.5.2025) by The East Yorkshire Solar Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/585), art. 1, Sch. 14 para. 59(1) (with art. 49, Sch. 14)
- C19
S. 172 restricted (28.7.2025) by The Mona Offshore Wind Farm Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/870), art. 1, Sch. 10 para. 103(1) (with arts. 37, 38, Sch. 10)
- C20
S. 172 restricted (12.10.2025) by The Gatwick Airport (Northern Runway Project) Development Consent Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1054), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 43(1) (with arts. 5, 9(6), 43, Sch. 9)
- C21
S. 172 restricted (22.10.2025) by The A46 Newark Bypass Development Consent Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1090), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 34(1) (with arts. 4, 9, 51, Sch. 9)
- C22
S. 172 restricted (5.11.2025) by The Tillbridge Solar Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1105), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 143(1) (with art. 49, Sch. 15)
- C23
S. 172 restricted (13.11.2025) by The Stonestreet Green Solar Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1175), art. 1, Sch. 13 para. 77(1) (with art. 40, Sch. 13)
- C24
S. 172 restricted (29.12.2025) by The Helios Renewable Energy Project Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/1372), art. 1, Sch. 9 para. 92(1) (with Sch. 9)
- C25
S. 172 restricted (4.3.2026) by The Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/138), art. 1(2), Sch. 18 para. 114(1) (with arts. 42, 43, Sch. 18)
- C26
S. 172 restricted (11.3.2026) by The Fenwick Solar Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/151), art. 1, Sch. 14 para. 32(1)(q) (with Sch. 14)
- C27
S. 172 restricted (30.4.2026) by The Springwell Solar Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/419), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 33(1) (with art. 48)
- C28
S. 172 restricted (5.6.2026) by The Dogger Bank South East and West Offshore Wind Farms Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/577), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 43(1) (with arts. 40, 41, Sch. 15)
- C29
S. 172 restricted (5.6.2026) by The North Falls Offshore Wind Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/567), art. 1, Sch. 14 para. 48(1) (with arts. 44, 45, Sch. 14)
- C30
S. 172 restricted (23.7.2026) by The Peartree Hill Solar Farm Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/869), art. 1, Sch. 11 para. 74(3) (with art. 37, Sch. 11)
- C31
S. 172 excluded (14.9.2026) by The Beacon Fen Energy Park Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/1025), art. 1, Sch. 11 para. 116(1)(q) (with art. 39, Sch. 11 para. 131)
- C32
S. 172(2)(3) applied (with modifications) (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 2 para. 8(2)(3)
- C33
S. 172(2)(3) applied (with modifications) (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 2 para. 1(5)(6)
- C34
S. 172(5) applied (with modifications) (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 2 para. 1(5)(6)
- C35
S. 172(5) applied (with modifications) (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 2 para. 8(2)(3)
Commencement
- I1
S. 172 in force at 13.7.2016 by S.I. 2016/733, reg. 3(h)