Section 209 — Power to direct bodies to dispose of land

(1) Section 98 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (disposal of land at direction of Secretary of State) is amended as follows.

(2) Before subsection (1) insert— (A1) Where a body to which this Part applies is a relevant public authority, the Secretary of State may in specified circumstances direct the body to take steps for the disposal of the body's freehold or leasehold interest in any land or any lesser interest in the land. (B1) In subsection (A1)— (a) “relevant public authority” has the same meaning as in section 208 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016; (b) “specified” means specified by the Secretary of State in regulations made by statutory instrument; (c) the reference to steps for the disposal of an interest in land is a reference to steps which it is necessary to take to dispose of the interest and which it is in the body's power to take.

(3) After subsection (9) insert— (10) A statutory instrument containing regulations made by virtue of subsection (A1) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.