{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-act-1990/section-231",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-act-1990/section-231.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1990/8",
  "legislation_title": "Town and Country Planning Act 1990",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/town-and-country-planning-act-1990",
  "path": "section/231",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "231",
  "heading": "Power of Secretary of State to require acquisition or development of land.",
  "text": "(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied after holding a local inquiry that the council of a county, county borough , or a combined authority or CCA,, district or London borough have failed to take steps for the acquisition of any land which in his opinion ought to be acquired by them under section 226 . . ., he may by order require the council or combined authority or CCA to take such steps as may be specified in the order for acquiring the land.\n(2) If the Secretary of State is satisfied after holding a local inquiry that a local authority or a non-mayoral combined authority or non-mayoral CCA have failed to carry out, on land acquired by them under section 226 (or section 68 of the 1962 Act or section 112 of the 1971 Act) or appropriated by them under section 229 (or section 121 of the 1971 Act), any development which in his opinion ought to be carried out, he may by order require the authority to take such steps as may be specified in the order for carrying out the development.\n(3) An order under this section shall be enforceable on the application of the Secretary of State by mandamus.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 231(1) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 20(4), Sch. 6 Pt. II para. 24(7) (with ss. 54(5)(7), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 231(1) inserted (29.4.2026) by English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (c. 23), s. 108(1)(3), Sch. 18 para. 19(2)(a) (with s. 102)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 231 repealed (25.9.1991) by Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (c. 34, SIF 123:1), ss. 70, 84(6), Sch. 15 Pt. II para. 29, Sch. 19 Pt. III (with s. 84(5)); S.I. 1991/2067, art. 3 (subject to art. 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 231(1) inserted (29.4.2026) by English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (c. 23), s. 108(1)(3), Sch. 18 para. 19(2)(b) (with s. 102)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 231(2) inserted (29.4.2026) by English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (c. 23), s. 108(1)(3), Sch. 18 para. 19(3) (with s. 102)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 231 power to apply conferred (10.11.1993) by 1993 c. 28, s. 171(4)(a); S.I. 1993/2762, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Pt. 9 applied (20.12.2023) by The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1432), arts. 1(2), 9(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Pt. 9 applied (28.2.2024) by The East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/232), regs. 1(2), 10(4)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "asc/2026/7",
      "affecting_title": "Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/8/section/231",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-06T03:35:00.269643+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."
}