Commentary on Sections Chapter 3 – Extension of Direction Suspending the Right to Buy Section 20 – Application for extension
51.Section 20 sets out the requirements which must be contained in an authority’s application for an extension of a direction. The authority must explain the reasons why it has concluded that the housing pressure condition exists, why an extension is an appropriate way to deal with it, what other action it has taken to deal with it and what other action it proposes to take to reduce the imbalance between the demand for social housing and its supply within the authority’s area during the proposed period of extension. The application must describe the consultation undertaken by the authority and set out the length of extension it wants which must not be for a period of more than five years from the date on which, but for Chapter 3, the direction would have ceased to have effect.