Council rejects request to dezone land in Tullamore

OFFALY County Council has rejected a submission from a number of private landowners to dezone 4.3 hectares (10.6 acres) of land in Tullamore.

The land is currently zoned Residential which means it will be subject to a new government tax being introduced next year.

The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is 3% of the market value of land which is zoned residential. The first valuation date will be February 1 next and the market value will be self-assessed by the landowner. The Tullamore landowners wanted to dezone their land because they want to avoid paying the RZLT.

Cllr Frank Moran said the councillors have "very limited reserve functions. Time and again we are told we have no power in various matters. It's a diminishment of local democracy."

Cllr Neil Feighery said he had sympathy for landowners who will be adversely affected by the RZLT.

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Chairperson, said he had a letter from Michael McGrath, Minister for Finance, which stated that landowners who want to dezone their land from residential in order to avoid the RZLT should be allowed to do so.

He said, "I know a landowner in Cloneygowan who wants 1.2 hectares of his land dezoned from residential but he won't be allowed to do it. His land was zoned residential in the County Development Plan, and he wasn't aware of it until after it was done."

Cllr Mark Hackett pointed out that the proceeds from the RZLT go straight to Revenue and nothing goes to Offaly County Council.