Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

90. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he plans to update legislation to address anomalies in the vacant site levy and to deal with land hoarding. [19841/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, under-utilised sites in urban areas, for residential or regeneration purposes. Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017. Planning authorities will be issuing notices to owners of vacant sites by 1 June 2018 in respect of vacant sites on the register on 1 January 2018, indicating that the levy will apply to those sites on 1 January 2019.

Planning authorities are empowered to apply an annual vacant site levy of 3% of the market value of vacant sites, exceeding 0.05 hectares in area, which, in the planning authority’s opinion, were vacant or idle in the preceding year, in areas identified by the planning authority in its development plan or local area plan for residential or regeneration development.

As announced in the Budget 2018, it is proposed to increase the rate of levy from 3% to 7% of the market valuation of relevant sites with effect from January 2020 in respect of sites included on the local vacant site registers in 2019. Legislative provision for this increase along with amendments to other relevant provisions will be tabled by way of Seanad Report Stage amendments to the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, which has recently completed Seanad Committee Stage.

To ensure consistent application of the levy provisions across all city and county areas and to facilitate the sharing of best practice, my Department has provided guidance and advice and also organised a workshop last week which was attended by every local authority.