I move amendment No. 1:
In page 5, before Section 11, to insert a new section as follows:—
(1) When a planning authority has passed a resolution for the making of a planning scheme and has, before such planning scheme comes into operation, made a special prohibition in relation to any work, such planning authority, in addition to the powers conferred on them by sub-section (1) of Section 58 of the Principal Act, may, if they are of opinion either—
(a) that the remedying after the coming into operation of such planning scheme of the prejudicial effect of proceeding with or doing the work to which such special prohibition relates would be unduly costly or would involve undue delay in the enforcement of such planning scheme, or
(b) that such effect would seriously injure the amenities of the neighbourhood during the period before the coming into operation of such planning scheme,
declare, at any time before such planning scheme comes into operation, that any contravention of such special prohibition before such coming into operation shall be unlawful.
(2) a declaration under this section shall, for the purposes of the Principal Act and, in particular, for the purposes of sub-section (2) of Section 58 of the Principal Act, be deemed to be a declaration under the said Section 58.
On the Committee Stage several amendments were down in the name of Deputy Benson, who took a great interest in the discussion on this Bill. Amongst other points raised by him there were three in connection with which I promised that I would try to look into the matter again and see how far I could go to meet the points of view he had been putting up. In this amendment, which is now on the Order Paper in my name, I think I am going a considerable way to meet Deputy Benson's point of view with regard to one of these matters. I have had long discussions with those responsible for the drafting of the Bill—the experts in my Department—and they were rather timorous about going so far. A lot of this legislation in town planning is experimental. It is new; there has not been anything like it before, and we have not had any experience of its working. Therefore, we hesitate to tie it up too tightly in rules and regulations, especially in regard to any to which penalties might be attachable for the infringements thereof. However, we have decided to go as far as is suggested in this amendment, and I think it meets the Deputy's point of view to a considerable extent.