Councils to get powers to reduce development levies

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has welcomed news that Local Authorities are to be given powers to reduce development charges on existing planning permissions in order to make them more viable to go to construction.

Provision for this measure is contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015, as part of the Government’s Construction 2020 strategy, the Laois/Offaly TD explained.  

She said this measure “will certainly help the struggling construction sector, particularly in rural Ireland, to achieve modest growth.”

Deputy Corocoran Kennedy stated she was aware of many people in her constituency who had postponed plans to build their own homes pending the revised regulations. This, she claimed, was “stalling of the building of on-off houses has left many tradespeople without work as the revised regulations are awaited.”

Acknowledging the “enormous damage” done to the Midlands economy as a result of an over-reliance on the construction sector, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy said it is “vital for the future of the local economy that measures are implemented to kick-start the construction sector, and the building of one-off houses in rural areas is an integral part of this process.”

“I feel the move to reduce development contributions for existing planning permissions that have yet to be activated will significantly assist with the construction of new units in both the residential and commercial markets in Laois/Offaly,” said Deputy Corcoran Kennedy.