Laois retains low house building levies but extra charges on data centres and turbines
Development fees for building a house in Laois are set to be the lowest in the midlands, after councillors refused to increase them.
Laois will charge less to housing developers and self builders than neighbours Offaly, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Kildare, following a vote on the next Development Contribution Scheme to last until 2029.
However they have pushed the fees higher than recommended on new wind turbines and solar panels, agreeing to a proposal by Sinn Féin Cllr Aidan Mullins who said the companies can
On Wednesday, September 6, councillors met to consider a draft of the 2022 to 2029 plan.
The CEO John Mulholland told then an increased house development levy would be paid by the Government anyway, as the fees are suspended until 2024. That this effectively meant extra Government money coming to develop Laois amenities like parks and playgrounds.
"There's an advantage in this. This is a method of Laois County Council getting funding from the state we wouldn't otherwise get and not having it passed on to house builders.
"The amnesty may be only for a year but what political party is going to change that? You may ask to prolong it. Then you might see more building activity," he said.
"We don't have a huge amount of industrial or commercial developments (to bring in levies)," the CEO added.
The councillors however rejected the proposed rise by 12 votes to five.
It means that the fee to build a new house in Laois stays at €4,000, set seven years ago. In Offaly it starts at €4,010, and €5,000 in Kilkenny, €5,000 to €7,000 in Carlow, €6,200 in Tipperary and €10,000 per house in Kildare.
Fine Gael Cllr Willie Aird proposed to keep the fees the same, seconded by Fianna Fáil Cllr Paddy Bracken.
"We're voting today on something we have control over. They're put to the pin of their collars. Living at home because they can't afford rent. I don't see the levy going back on, a month before the local elections, but how can you touch housing? You're putting us in a very awkward position, where the Government gives an amnesty and you're asking for an increase," Cllr Aird said.
However they went the other way in rising fees for future data centres and renewables.
Cllr Mullins made a proposal to increase the fees more than suggested.
"I feel they have the resources to pay that. We've discussed this and we're convinced this would not be a deterrant because of the resources these companies have," he said.
The existing development charge on wind turbines up to 100m tip height is €25,000 per turbine, and €50,000 for higher ones. The council had proposed these increase to €27,000 and €54,000.
Councillors voted to hike the fees up to €30,000 and €60,000.
For solar panels the council charges €10,000 per 1megawatt output and suggested rising it to €10,800, but the councillors went for €12,000.
A new levy is written into the plan on data centres, which didn't exist when the last plan was written.