Approval of scheme by Minister

(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, after considering any objections duly made to the scheme which have not been met or withdrawn, approve the scheme submitted to him or any part thereof, either without modification or with such modifications as he thinks fit, including, if he thinks fit, the alteration of the defined area so as to exclude land therefrom, but not so as to add land thereto, and the scheme or part thereof when so approved shall be binding on the Central Authority, but if the Minister considers the scheme inadequate he may refuse to approve the scheme and require the Central Authority to prepare and submit to him a further scheme within such time as he may fix, or he may approve the scheme or any part thereof subject to the condition that the Central Authority prepare and submit to him a further scheme within such time as he may fix. (2) In the case of a re-development scheme the Minister may, before approving the scheme, cause a public inquiry into the matter to be held under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, Cap. 127, and shall consider any objection not withdrawn and the report of the Commission of Inquiry, and he may thereafter approve the scheme with or without any such modifications as aforesaid. (3) The Minister shall not approve of any scheme unless he is satisfied that, (a) the size of the area is such that the housing conditions therein can be remedied within a reasonable period; (b) in so far as suitable accommodation available for persons who will be displaced by the steps the Central Authority proposes to take for the clearance and development of the area does not exist, the Central Authority will provide, or secure the provision of, such in of the displacements which will from time to time become necessary as these steps are taken. (4) In this section, “suitable accommodation” means, in relation to the occupier of a dwelling-house, a dwelling-house as to which the following conditions are satisfied, that is to say, (a) the house must be a house wherein the occupier and his family can live without causing it to be overcrowded; (b) the local authority must certify the house to be suitable to the needs of the occupier and his family as regards security of tenure and proximity to place of work and otherwise to be suitable in relation to his means; and 28 (c) if the house belongs to the local authority, it must certify it to be suitable to the needs of the occupier and his family as respects extent of accommodation, having regard to the standard specified in this Part.