(1) Subject to this section, a local planning authority may—
(a) upon compensation being paid in terms of section fifty except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of section fifty-two—
(i) remove, demolish or alter any building which constitutes existing development;
(ii) by order, require the discontinuance of any use or operations;
(iii) by order, impose any conditions subject to which any use or operations shall continue, in which case such order shall, upon it becoming operative, be deemed, for the purposes of this Part, to be a permit issued subject to the conditions so imposed;
(b) without payment of compensation, by order, require any owner of land at his own expense to take such action as may be specified in the order to abate any injury caused to the amenities of any other land by—
(i) the ruinous or neglected condition of any building or fence; or (ii) the objectionable or neglected condition of the land.
(2) Before taking any action in terms of subsection (1), the local planning authority shall serve notice upon the owner of the land concerned and upon any other person who, in the opinion of that authority, will be affected thereby, specifying—
(a) the nature of, and the grounds upon which it proposes to take, that action; and
(b) the period within which an appeal may be lodged in terms of section thirty-eight.
(3) A local planning authority may only take action in terms of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) if—
(a) the action is necessary to make the land or buildings concerned conform to an operative master plan or local plan or an approved scheme; or (b) it appears to that authority expedient in the interests of the proper planning of the area, having regard to any master plan, local plan or scheme, any outline plan referred to in paragraph (b) of section seventy-five and any other material considerations, and the Minister has consented to the action proposed.
(4) Before giving his consent in terms of paragraph (b) of subsection (3), the Minister may require—
(a) the local planning authority to give public notice or notice to such persons as he may direct of the nature of the action which the local planning authority proposes to take and the grounds therefor; and
(b) that any notice given in terms of paragraph (a) shall provide for the lodging of objections within a minimum period of not less than one month and that any objections so lodged shall be submitted to the Minister for consideration.
(5) If an appeal is lodged in terms of section thirty-eight in respect of a notice given in terms of this section, the President of the Administrative Court may, before the
Administrative Court considers the appeal, require—
(a) the local planning authority to give public notice or notice to such persons as he may direct of the nature of the action which the local planning authority proposes to take and the grounds therefor; and
(b) that any notice given in terms of paragraph (a) shall provide for the lodging of objections within a minimum period of not less than one month and that any objections so lodged shall be submitted to the Administrative Court for consideration:
Provided that the President of the Administrative Court shall not require any notice to be given in terms of this subsection if the Minister has required similar notice to be given in terms of subsection (4) in respect of the same matter.
(6) If an owner of land to whom an order has been given in terms of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) fails to comply with the requirements of that order within the time specified therein, the local planning authority may take the action specified in the order on behalf of the owner and recover from the owner the costs incurred by action in a court of competent jurisdiction.
(7) Subsection (2) of section thirty-seven shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to an action referred to in subsection (6).