County councils propose €500/ha forestry charge

By Pat O'Keeffe

A proposed charge of €500 per hectare of new forestry plantations and €5 per metre squared of new farm buildings are among a number of controversial charges included in both Kilkenny and Laois County council's draft development contribution scheme.

Other county councils are also in the process of releasing consultation documents.

In relation to forestry, the Kilkenny proposal excludes the first five hectares planted; the Laois proposal does not. The Laois proposal also includes a charge of €2,000 per wind turbine constructed. For farm buildings, Kilkenny have proposed a €5/metre squared charge but have excluded all areas less than 500 metres squared.

This week's IFA National Council meeting passed a resolution that farm development work should be excluded from County Council development charges. Meetings on the issue are expected to commence shortly with submissions due to close in early December.

Section 48 of the Planning and Development Act enables Local Authorities, when granting planning permission, to seek a contribution towards the provision of infrastructure. Both urban and rural dwelling will also be subject to charges, which are aimed at covering the cost of providing infrastructure. Total costs in the Laois draft are €6,500 per dwelling and €50 per metre squared of industrial/commercial development.

Kilkenny County Council state in their proposal that they expect to generate €26m from the charges between now and 2007. They expect agricultural and forestry development to be at the rate of 26,000 square metres per year.

Other county councils are in the process of circulating their draft proposals. Cork County Council appears to exclude agriculture and forestry from any development charge.

The IFA forestry committee have written to Laois County Council seeking a meeting on the issue.