Leitrim County Councillors have been told of plans for a levy on vacant sites throughout the county.
Legislation for the introduction of the levy was introduced in 2015.
However, it will be some time before the levy is actually applied as the first step in what is a lengthy process will be a variation of the County Development Plan, itself a procedure that will take some time.
The legislation underpinning the introduction this levy arose out of a need to solve the housing shortage and to stimulate growth in the construction sector.
Leitrim councillors were told this morning that the first step in this process was a preliminary assessment of the number and location of sites, followed by a report back to the council.
The minimum size of site to be levied is 0.05 of a hectare or one-eighth of an acre.
Two categories of land may be designated for the levy: residential land and regeneration land.
Regeneration land is where a site is vacant or idle and has an adverse effect on an area.
The key difference between this and residential land when it comes to levy is that the council does not have to establish a housing need in the area of regeneration land.
Leitrim councillors heard this morning that the building of housing units in the county peaked about 2006 when 1,600 units were built.
Now, it’s down to 35 to 50 and no planning permission has been granted for multiple residential developments.
In the last census, the county was the highest in the country for vacant properties.
Therefore, councillors were told it was not considered feasible to impose penalties on developers of residential land and that the application of the levy would be restricted to regeneration land.
A register of sites would have to be established and owners would have to be notified. They would have 28 days to reply and also 28 days to appeal the inclusion of a site to An Bord Pleanala.
The market value of the site would then have to be determined and owners could also appeal this.
The levy would be 3% per annum of the valuation but the rates could vary and there would be exceptions.
Council Chief Executive Frank Curran says it’s about enhancing towns and villages.
He emphasised they couldn’t do anything until they completed the variation of the County Development Plan.
Manorhamilton Councillor Felim Gurn says it’s about town enhancement and the provision of housing:
