Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1931

Demolition of buildings on and disposal of land acquired by a local authority.

10.—(1) A local authority who have under this Part of this Act purchased any land comprised in, or surrounded by, or adjoining a clearance area shall, so soon as may be, cause every building thereon to be vacated and shall deal with that land in one or other of the following ways, or partly in one of these ways and partly in the other of them, that is to say:—

(a) they shall demolish every building thereon before the expiration of six weeks from the date on which it is vacated, or before the expiration of such longer period as in the circumstances they deem reasonable, and thereafter may use the land for the purposes of Part III of the Act of 1890 as amended by any subsequent enactment including this Act or may subject to the approval of the Minister, sell or let the land subject to such restrictions and conditions, if any, as they think fit, or may, appropriate the land for any purpose for which they are authorised to acquire land subject to the like restrictions as are contained in section ninety-five of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907, with respect to the appropriation of land by local authorities under that section; or

(b) they shall, subject to the approval of the Minister, so soon as may be, sell or let the land subject to a condition that the buildings thereon shall be demolished forthwith and subject to such restrictions and other conditions, if any, as they may think fit to impose.

(2) Land sold or leased under this section shall be sold or leased at the best price or for the best rent that can reasonably be obtained having regard to any restriction or condition imposed, and any capital money received in respect of any transaction under this section shall be applied, with the sanction of the Minister, either in the repayment of debt or for any other purpose for which capital money may be properly applied.

(3) For the purposes of this section “sell” includes to sell in consideration of an annual rent charge or fee farm grant.