Catalogue description Records created or inherited by the Lands Tribunal

The Lands Tribunal was established under the Lands Tribunal Act 1949 with jurisdiction throughout the United Kingdom, except Scotland for which a separate tribunal was envisaged. The tribunal consists of a president and other members appointed by the Lord Chancellor and since 1958 has operated under the general supervision of the Council on Tribunals.

The Lands Tribunal took over the duties of arbitrators appointed under the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act 1919 and the Law of Property Act 1925, which provided for the discharge or modification of restrictive covenants affecting land and related questions of compensation. The tribunal also assumed the functions of the panel of referees appointed by the Land Values Reference Committee under the Finance (1909-10) Act 1910, relating to the hearing of appeals against valuation of land, assessments of duty and apportionment of land values or duty by the Board of Inland Revenue.

The tribunal was also made responsible under the Lands Tribunal Act 1949 and later the General Rate Act 1967 for the hearing of appeals against rating decisions of local valuation courts previously the responsibility of County Courts under the Local Government Act 1948.

Similarly, under the 1949 Act, it was empowered to deal with certain questions of disputed compensation and apportionment arising under the Land Clauses Acts and the Land Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, and disputes over the determination by the Central Land Board or other authorities of the development values of interest in land under the Town and Country Planning Act l947. The tribunal could also provide voluntary arbitration.

The Lands Tribunal Act 1949 also provided for the extension of the jurisdiction of the tribunal by order in Council and on 31 March 1950 the tribunal took over the duties of the War Damage (Valuation Appeals) Panel. Likewise in 1952 the tribunal assumed the functions of the special tribunal constituted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1944 to consider disputes over compensation payable to statutory undertakers on compulsory purchase of land or the imposition of restrictions on its use.

Under the Land Powers (Defence) Act 1958 the tribunal took over the work of the General Claims Tribunal constituted under the Compensation (Defence) Act 1939; under the Land Commission Act 1967 the tribunal was given appellate functions in relation to decisions of the Land Commission concerning the assessment of betterment levy etc.

The tribunal's jurisdiction has also been extended by other acts of Parliament. In particular, its functions of arbitration and determination of compensation now cover the acquisition of land for the purposes of civil aviation, coast protection and water supply. Other functions have been acquired in respect of compensation for the imposition of preservation orders, access orders and planning restrictions; the refusal of tree felling licences; the entry, inspection and working of land for minerals and water resources; the underground storage of gas; mining subsidence; the laying of pipelines; rights of light and disputes concerning leasehold houses and premises under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.

Under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, which established the now defunct community charge or 'poll tax', appeals in respect of a decision or orders made by a valuation or community charge tribunal were made to the Lands Tribunal.