Section 68 Compulsory acquisition of land for development
Where any land is designated by a development plan as subject to compulsory acquisition by the appropriate local authority, then if the Minister is satisfied—
in the case of land comprised in an area defined by the plan as an area of comprehensive development, or of land contiguous or adjacent to any such area, that the land is required in order to secure the development or redevelopment of that area or that it is expedient in the public interest that the land should be held together with land so required, or
in any other case, that it is necessary that the land should be acquired under this section for the purpose of securing its use in the manner proposed by the plan,
he may authorise the council of the county borough or county district in which the land is situated to acquire the land compulsorily in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Where under the preceding subsection the Minister has power to authorise the council of a county borough or county district to acquire any land compulsorily, he may, if after consultation with that council, and, in the case of land in a county, with the council of that county, he thinks it expedient to do so, authorise the land to be so acquired by any other local authority instead of that council.
The Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act, 1946, shall apply to the compulsory acquisition of land under this section, and accordingly shall have effect as if this section had been in force immediately before the commencement of that Act.