Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018
924. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of vacant site levy designations that have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála to date; the status of the appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30304/18]
View answerThe Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced the vacant site levy aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, underutilised sites in urban areas. Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017. Planning authorities issued 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.
There are a number of appeal provisions in the Act, including an appeal against the entry of a site on the register, an appeal of market value determination of a site and an appeal against demand for payment of the levy.
By end June 2018, An Bord Pleanála had received a total of 74 valid appeals against the entry of sites on the registers of planning authorities; 53 of these cases have been decided, leaving 21 still to be determined.
