Development Contributions building a house

pixma

Hi all,

Maybe somebody can help with this question.
I am currently building a house on the site where my old house was.
I got planning permission to demolish the old house as it was not in a good state. The council are looking for €8,500 development contribution fees from me. I thought that, seeing as I lived in the old house for the past 25 years, I would not have to pay the full fees.

Has anyone else come across this? Or maybe point me to another thread if it has been discussed previously, I did a search but couldn't see anything related.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks
P

RKQ

What is the fee break-down?
Fees for Community or Roads apply to new works or refurbishments.

A new connection for water or mains sewerage would be unfair, if you lived for 25 years in the house and the connections were not new ( no road excavation etc)

Can you supply more detail?

pixma

It is broken down to €5000 roads, €1500 Water and €1000 amenities.
I paid to get connected to the water mains a few years ago.

It just seems unfair that if I stayed living in the old house I would not have to pay any of the charges for roads etc....

sydthebeat

pixma wrote: »

It is broken down to €5000 roads, €1500 Water and €1000 amenities.
I paid to get connected to the water mains a few years ago.

It just seems unfair that if I stayed living in the old house I would not have to pay any of the charges for roads etc....

the €1000 for amenities is unchallangeable.

If youve already connected to the public water and you will be using the same connection then you are not required to pay this new €1500 fee, assuming its for public water and not a special levy for the upgrade of the scheme etc.

the €5000 for roads is very high. This is for the continuous upkeep of the roads. The only way i can see of you not paying this is to try to find if you 9or any previous occupier of the existing house) paid a road levy previous... post 1964 generally. If so then you may be able to argue it, otherwise i dont think you can argue.

Villain

I got planning a few months ago and the Council have start ringing me looking for payment of Development contributions, €3,200 in my case whch the planning stated covered roads and amenities.

I told them I have my own well and my own waste water treatment system so I want a break down in writing of what the development fee's cover, one lady said the road, I asked what was road tax for and she said she would get someone to call me.

Someone did and when I asked for a breakdown in writing he just kept saying it was for amenities and the road, so I asked do you mean like cutting the hedge etc and he said "yea exactly" so I asked why is that the main N81 (which is half a mile from my road) has been cut but I had to spend an hour last week with a slash hook cutting outside my site because my road wasn't. He just mumbled and said that wasn't his department so I asked to be transfered to whoever looks after it and he said he didn't know.

I told him once I get in writing from the council what exactly the money covers and assurances that items covered will be maintained I will pay them, to which he said I'll have to get someone else to call you, but I haven't got a call back yet

Jollyman

What happens if the house is nearly built and they still have not looked for payment? They will surely figure it out!

RKQ

Its normal to pay contribution fees, with your Commencement Notice.

I assume you are aware of your legal requirement to issue a Commencement Notice?

Your Solicitor will require copies of receipts of these payments, to ensure your Compliance with Planning Permission.

Jollyman

We submitted a commencement notice and they said they would invoice for the fee have not received anything to date 6 months on

Villain

I got my Commencement Notice and will pay the development fees but only when I get written assurances, my parents paid 3,000 punts 4 years ago which was mainly for the upkeep of a public laneway and the council have done nothing to improve it, they only filled huge pot holes when I told them my father was going to the papers with a picture of him in a wheel chair unable to get up the lane because of the huge pot holes.

I want written assurances so when I need to get the road repaired or hedges cut they will be oblidged to as they have given written assurances.

RKQ

Glad to hear Commencement Notices were issued....:cool:
Maybe you should bring this issue up with your local Councillor or T.D.

A good T.D can make a big difference.
I'm afraid Councils can be slow at times but they will issue an invoice.
As stated above, You will need receipts at the final mortgage drawdown.

Unfortunately, I don't they will give any written assurance.

pixma

Great info here, thanks for all your comments.

Villain

RKQ wrote: »

Unfortunately, I don't they will give any written assurance.

Well they won't get my money until they do, I can't get people to pay me in my business unless they know what they are paying for, seems only fair and natural to me.

Councils will bully you but in my expierence if you stand up to them they will eventually deal with you fairly.

I'm not looking for a free lunch but €3,200 is a lot money on top of servicing my site I want to know what it will go towards and get assurances that it will be used for that.

The lane my parents live on has had 6 houses built in the last 5 years all paying between €2,000 and €7,000 towards the lane way and all the council have done is fill a few pot holes after serious hounding and threat to go public, where has that money gone??

Mono25

wish I had that complaint, have applied for planning for 3500 sq ft house north co dublin and the fees to fingal amount to 43K, I nearly passed out. How they justify that I dont know

sydthebeat

Mono25 wrote: »

wish I had that complaint, have applied for planning for 3500 sq ft house north co dublin and the fees to fingal amount to 43K, I nearly passed out. How they justify that I dont know

unbelievable.... :eek:

eugenedoc1

Donegal county council sent me this bill for our 2 storey 2895 sq feet house.

Water 2345.92 ( no water available,had to drill my own well )
Sewer 335.13 ( no sewer available either )
Roads&marine 1563.95
Economic Comm.Cult 893.68( your guess is as good as mine)
Village/Urban 893.68

Tortured our local T.D until he finally came back and told us we didnt have to pay the water charge as there was none available.
Said to him so like wise with the sewage then. He got a little stressed at this and said "everyone has to pay the sewage" bloody joke the lot of them.

muffler

We could possibly call this the the rant thread on development contributions which is fine and we dont have a problem with it

However if anyone wishes to post an update of the contributions in their respective areas then they can do so here. No discussion there - just post the rates and leave it at that.

Its a good idea to keep that thread updated.