Vol. 572 No. 5
46 Ms Burton asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the reported intention of a number of county managers to impose a levy of up to ?10,000 on each new house to fund development programmes; his views on this proposal; the impact he views it would have on the price of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23587/03]
Section 48 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2000 provides that a planning authority may, when granting a planning permission, include conditions requiring the payment of a contribution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the area of the planning authority and that is provided, or that it is intended will be provided, by, or on behalf, of a local authority. The Act provides that the basis for the determination of development contributions should be set out in a development contribution scheme which is made by the elected members following a public consultation process. Local authorities have until 10 March 2004 to adopt such schemes.
Development contributions are not a new charge. The provisions in the 2000 Act, which came into operation on 11 March 2002, replace the provisions of section 26(2) of the 1963 Act which allowed planning authorities to attach conditions to the grant of planning permission requiring the payment of development contributions. These contributions support the provision of necessary infrastructure such as waste, waste water and roads, needed to allow development to proceed.
