Street Works Act 1995 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 7 · Backlanes
31. Backlanes to be levelled, paved, etc., by Authority
Feedback & supportThe Authority is to level, pave, metal, channel and drain, and may provide lighting for, all backlanes vested in the Government under section 30.
When the Authority has made up a backlane, the Authority may recover the costs and expenses of acquiring the land for, and of making up, the backlane from the owners of premises abutting on the backlane.
backlane
“backlane” includes —(a)every existing backlane and any part thereof and any approach thereto;(b)all land already or hereafter acquired or set apart for or laid out as a backlane; and(c)all channels, drains and appurtenances of a backlane;
Such costs and expenses must be paid by the persons who are the owners of premises abutting on the backlane when the works are completed according to the frontage of their respective premises in such proportions as are settled by the Authority.
premises
“premises” includes buildings, lands, easements and hereditaments of any tenure;
If the owner of any such premises is dissatisfied with the Authority’s apportionment of costs and expenses, that owner may, within 14 days of being notified of such apportionment, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.
owner
“owner”, in relation to any premises, means the person for the time being receiving the rent of the premises whether on the person’s own account or as agent or trustee for any other person or as receiver or who would receive the rent if the premises were let to a tenant, and includes the person whose name is entered in the Valuation List prepared under section 10 of the Property Tax Act 1960;
The Authority may, if it thinks fit, decide that in settling the apportionment regard must be had to the following considerations:
the degree of benefit accruing to any premises by the making up of the backlane;
the amount and value of any works already executed by the owners or occupiers of any such premises.
The Authority may, in any estimate of the costs and expenses of works, include reasonable charges in respect of survey and superintendence.
The Authority may, if it thinks fit, pay the whole or any part of the costs and expenses of the works and the payment of part of the costs and expenses may be made in such manner as the Authority thinks fit to the exclusion of other owners or to relieve one owner to a greater extent than the other owners.
Section 43 applies to any sum payable by the owners under this section.