212.—(1) A planning authority may develop or secure or facilitate the development of land and, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may do one or more of the following:

(a) secure, facilitate and control the improvement of the frontage of any public road by widening, opening, enlarging or otherwise improving;

(b) develop any land in the vicinity of any road or public transport facility which it is proposed to improve or construct;

(c) provide areas with roads, infrastructure facilitating public transport and such services and works as may be needed for development;

(d) provide, secure or facilitate the provision of areas of convenient shape and size for development;

(e) secure, facilitate or carry out the development and renewal of areas in need of physical, social or economic regeneration and provide open spaces and other public amenities;

(f) secure the preservation of any view or prospect, any protected structure or other structure, any architectural conservation area or natural physical feature, any trees or woodlands or any site of archaeological, F1106[geological or historical interest;]

F1107[(g) secure the creation, management, restoration or preservation of any site of scientific or ecological interest, including any Nature Conservation Site,]

(2) A planning authority may provide or arrange for the provision of—

(a) sites for the establishment or relocation of industries, businesses (including hotels, motels and guesthouses), houses, offices, shops, schools, churches, leisure facilities and other community facilities and of such buildings, premises, houses, parks and structures as are referred to in paragraph (b),

(b) factory buildings, office premises, shop premises, houses, amusement parks and structures for the purpose of entertainment, caravan parks, buildings for the purpose of providing accommodation, meals and refreshments, buildings for the purpose of providing trade and professional services and advertisement structures,

(c) transport facilities, including public and air transport facilities, and

(d) any services which it considers ancillary to anything which is referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c),

and may maintain and manage any such site, building, premises, house, park, structure or service and may make any charges which it considers reasonable in relation to the provision, maintenance or management thereof.

(3) A planning authority may, in connection with any of its functions under this Act, make and carry out arrangements or enter into agreements with any person or body for the development or management of land, and may incorporate a company for those purposes.

(4) A planning authority may use any of the powers available to it under any enactment, including any powers in relation to the compulsory acquisition of land, in relation to its functions under this section and in particular in order to facilitate the assembly of sites for the purposes of the orderly development of land.

F1107[(5) In this section "Nature Conservation Site" means—

(a) a European site,

(b) an area proposed as a natural heritage area and the subject of a notice made under section 16(1) of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000,

(c) an area designated as a natural heritage area by a natural heritage area order made under section 18 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000,

(d) a nature reserve established under an establishment order made under section 15 (amended by section 26 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000) of the Wildlife Act 1976,

(e) a nature reserve recognised under a recognition order made under section 16 (amended by section 27 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000) of the Wildlife Act 1976, or

(f) a refuge for fauna or flora designated under a designation order made under section 17 (amended by section 28 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000) of the Wildlife Act 1976.]