Only 10% of vacant sites in County Kildare are registered

Less than 10% of vacant sites surveyed in County Kildare have been entered on a register.

Information about the progress made on gathering vacant site levies was requested by Cllr Bill Clear.

He told a Kildare County Council meeting that developers who “sit on land” should be penalised.

KCC official Eoghan Ryan said in excess of 200 sites were surveyed and the process of valuations for seven sites has also been completed. 

A further eight sites are the subject of appeals to An Bord Pleanála and an additional 14 sites have been issued notices. 

“Of the 223 sites, only 15 sites have been entered on the register and the primary reason for this is that many of the towns are either among those  with the highest housing delivery figures or  have a significant physical infrastructure constraint limiting the application of the levy, such as the need for a second bridge in Celbridge and Newbridge and the southern distributor road in Athy."

He also pointed out that the new residential zoned land tax is the government's priority for land activation which will require landowners (where land is adequately serviced) to use land for housing.

He added that the process to prepare the draft maps for the RZLT has been completed by the council and further stages of this process will be undertaken during 2023.

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