Council planning levy ‘will increase price of new houses’

THE cost of new houses will rise again in the new year, the Irish Rural Dwellers Association (IRDA) claimed last night.

The IRDA made the prediction

after it emerged that local authorities are considering introducing a planning levy. Wexford County Council has

already rubbed-stamped a new site suitability test, which is estimated to cost 1,200 per house. An independent company will carry out the tests on sites.

In Wexford, the council stands to make 250,000 annually from the charge.

This levy follows the controversial increase in development charges, which will increase new house prices by up to 10,000.

IRDA spokesman Jim Connolly said he feared the Wexford levy would soon be introduced by several more local authorities.

“This is just another charge that’s going to drive people out of Ireland,” said Mr Connolly.

“There’s a strong emigration culture in this country and people will be forced to travel abroad again if these charges continue to rise.”

Councillors in Wexford said they had no choice but to introduce the levy. “The money to run the county has to be found somewhere,” said Cllr Jimmy Curtis.

However, Wexford Fine Gael TD Paul Kehoe said the charge would severely affect young people hoping to build houses.

“We are told builders will carry the cost of the development charges, too, but I don’t believe that,” said Mr Kehoe.

“Builders are in business to make money. We’ve also been told that the charges are not to cover the cost of benchmarking, but I believe they are.”

A spokesperson for Wexford County Council said the charge was the council’s own initiative.

“We don’t know if other local authorities are going to follow,” the spokesperson said.

The IRDA said unless the Government eased rural housing guidelines, dozens of planning candidates would run in next year’s local elections. “If urbanisation is forced down the throats of rural people, then a large number of candidates is inevitable,” said Mr Connolly.

“If this comes to pass, an unprecedented number of non-party councillors may get elected.”

The IRDA has twice met with Department of Environment officials to discuss the new rural planning guidelines, set to be published next year.