Where a local housing authority have declared an area to be a housing action area, they may, for the purpose of securing or assisting in securing all or any of the objectives specified in section 239(2)(a) to (c) exercise the following powers.
They may acquire by agreement, or be authorised by the Secretary of State to acquire compulsorily, land in the area on which there are premises consisting of or including housing accommodation.
They may undertake on land so acquired all or any of the following activities—
the provision of housing accommodation (by the construction, conversion or improvement of buildings, or otherwise);
the carrying out of works for the improvement or repair of housing accommodation (including works to the exterior, or on land within the curtilage, of buildings containing housing accommodation);
the management of housing accommodation;
the provision of furniture, fittings or services in or in relation to housing accommodation.
If after—
the authority have entered into a contract for the acquisition of land under subsection (2), or
a compulsory purchase order authorising the acquisition of land under that subsection has been confirmed,
the housing action area concerned ceases to be such an area or the land is excluded from the area, the provisions of that subsection continue to apply as if the land continued to be in a housing action area.