MORE VACANT SITES FOR LIST

WICKLOW County Council has completed its next phase of the Vacant Sites Register, focusing on ‘Level 5’ settlements.

Sites in Rathdrum, Kilcoole, Ashford, Baltinglass and Enniskerry are all currently under consideration.

Level 5 settlements in County Wicklow are the smaller towns of the County that provide important economic and social services to their populations and immediate hinterland. Such towns normally have a good range of infrastructural services and are suited to accommodating urban generated housing demand.

Notices of intention have been issued to the relevant landowners in Rathdrum, Kilcoole, Ashford, Baltinglass and Enniskerry, indicating that Wicklow County Council intend to enter their sites on the register. This will give the landowners a period of time to make a decision before the final decision is made.

The Vacant Sites Levy (VSL) has been introduced by the Government to ensure that land, particularly in urban areas, is put to the most productive and appropriate use.

The levy will be applied annually by Wicklow County Council up to a rate of three per cent of the market value of the vacant site.

The owner may make a submission within 28 days. The submission will be considered and if the local authority still feel it should be under the VSL, then the site will be entered on the register. Owners can appeal to An Bord Pleanála. They may also appeal to the Valuation Tribunal against the market value of the site within 28 days after the date of the notice.

No sites in Aughrim, Dunlavin or Tinahely have been identified because those towns have water and wastewater constraints which prevent development.

Work at identifying sites in Carnew remain ongoing and letters will be issued to landowners over the next few weeks.

Eighteen sites have already been included on the register in Newtownmountkennedy, Wicklow town. Rathnew, Bray and Greystones and seven appeals have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála. Further sites in those towns are also under investigation.