DCSIMG

Clarity needed on development charges

editorial image


Published on 14/02/2013 08:30

Sinn Féin Councillor Martin Kenny is looking for fruther clarity on the possibility of Local Authorities seeking development charges from the people who bought houses from developers.

In a statement issued to the Leitrim Observer, Cllr Kenny noted residents on a Wicklow housing estate are being pursued for the payment of outstanding development fees that were left unpaid by the developer of the estate.

Cllr Kenny said that Wicklow County Council has written to 21 homeowners in Avoca demanding payment of €2500 each.

“The registered letters said the homes were not in compliance with their planning conditions as development fees stipulated as part of the planning were not paid,” he said.

“These charges were the brainchild of the last Fianna Fail-Green Government and were presented as a method of raising finance from cash rich developers during the boom. The Development Charges are calculated and inserted in the grant of planning permission.

“My understanding would have been that the person to whom the planning was granted is responsible for this charge, however this situation in Wicklow now seems to be moving the responsibility on to the person who now owns the house.”

Cllr Kenny said that homeowners needed clarity on this, especially taking into account the fact that many of these homes are in estates which are incomplete.

“It is totally wrong and unworkable to suggest that hard pressed home owners struggling to meet inflated mortgages should pay the debts of the developer or builder. It is wrong because this is not their debt and it is unworkable because the vast majority of homeowners simply don’t have the money,” said Cllr Kenny.

“The continued starving of funds from Councils by the Government may be forcing every possible avenue to be examined for money, but this is going too far. Home owners need clear assurances that they will not be pursued for these charges by Local Authorities.”


Find It

"Business owner? - Claim your business and Advertise with us"

In association with qype logo

Looking for...

Featured advertisers

Jobs

Search for a job

Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland

Friday 24 May 2013

5 day forecast

Today

Cloudy

Cloudy

Temperature: 4 C to 13 C

Wind Speed: 13 mph

Wind direction: North

Tomorrow

Cloudy

Cloudy

Temperature: 8 C to 15 C

Wind Speed: 9 mph

Wind direction: South west

Press Complaints Commission

 This website and its associated newspaper are full participating members of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman.  This scheme in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages.  To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to
www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie

Leitrim Observer provides news, events and sport features from the Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland area. For the best up to date information relating to Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland and the surrounding areas visit us at Leitrim Observer regularly or bookmark this page.