The council of any county in England, district or London borough or a joint planning board for an area in England outside Greater London may acquire by agreement—
any building situated wholly or mainly in England appearing to them to be of special architectural or historic interest; and
any land comprising or contiguous or adjacent to such a building which appears to the Secretary of State to be required—
for preserving the building or its amenities, or
for affording access to it, or
for its proper control or management.
The provisions of Part I of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 (so far as applicable), other than sections 4 to 8, 10 and 31, shall apply in relation to the acquisition of land under subsection (1), but references in that Part to the execution of the works shall be construed as including references to—
any erection, construction or carrying out of buildings or works authorised by section 237 of the principal Act; and
any erection, construction or carrying out of buildings or works on behalf of a Minister or statutory undertakers on land acquired by that Minister or those undertakers, where the buildings or works are erected, constructed or carried out for the purposes for which the land was acquired.