Call to slash development levies

Development charges due from both residential and industrial or commercial new builds should be slashed to pre-2010 rates. That's according to Fianna Fail councillor Denis Tierney from Birr. The councillor put forward a motion pushing for a reduction in development charges at last Monday night's Birr Town Council meeting, and he's hoping the issue will be taken up at county council level. Development contributions currently stand at €8,040 per residential unit and €40 per square metre of industrial/commercial developments, but Cllr Tierney would like to see them reduced to previous levels of €4,360 and €34 per square metre. Cllr Tierney said he fears the current high charge could be the difference between attracting new business to the area and not. "In Offaly to remain competitive we have to address this," Cllr Tierney said. He said council colleagues in North Tipperary are currently addressing the problem. "We're just a mile from the North Tipperary border," he said. "We want to be competitive as well to attract commercial business to the town." The councillor said charges are reducing in other areas, and it should be no different when it comes to development charges. "Everything has been cut. That should be cut too," he said. Development charges cover facilities including community facilities, roads, public lightings, wastewater treatment facilities and water mains costs. Cllr Tierney said people still have other charges to pay, but that reducing the development charge would leave it at "a figure people could deal with". He also suggested putting in place a deferred payment scheme to attract commercial business to the area.