Mayo land owners urged to check new Residential Zoned Land Tax maps

LAND owners are again being urged to check the draft maps that show lands in Mayo that may be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax.

Active farmers who have land included on the map are exempt from the tax, the possible exceptions being in Ballina, Castlebar and Westport where they could potentially be liable.

Members of the public have until Sunday, January 1, to make submissions.

Councillors in the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District received a presentation on the land tax at their December meeting earlier this week.

The tax is aimed at increasing housing supply by activating zoned, serviced residential development lands (including mixed-use lands) for housing. Land which is identified and is zoned for housing (include land zoned mixed-use) may be subject to tax from 2024.

The draft map for Mayo is available to view on the Mayo County Council website.

As of Monday last, seven submissions had been received in the county. Submissions will be published in mid January, with further map updating and public consultation to follow.

Elected representatives raised a number of issues.

Councillor Gerry Coyle said there was a plot included in Belmullet on which planning permission had previously been refused as it is a flood risk.

Councillor Christy Hyland asked if land is zoned residential in the development plan but is actively farmed, with accounts to show that, would it be exempt from the land tax.

He was told in the larger towns, they could be potentially liable to pay the tax. That would be a matter between the farmer and Revenue.

Councillor Peter Flynn said the maps were unclear as to what is included, and he described communication from government as 'poor'.

He also highlighted where some town centre sites that have been underutilised could be subject to the tax.

He urged people to get in touch with the council's planning section, get informed and make submissions as 'the clock is ticking'.

Councillor Hyland said many families had been farming for generations and it wasn't their fault towns had grown out around them. They had never asked for their land to be zoned and could now be hit with this tax.

It was up to the Oireachtas members to deal with it and he urged people to contact them with their concerns.

Director of services Catherine McConnell said if people have no interest in developing land they could seek to rezone it.

Local area plans for Castlebar, Ballina and Westport will begin in 2023 which will deal with zoning.

More information from Mayo County Council here: https://www.mayo.ie/en-ie/news/mayo-county-council-reminds-public-of-january-1st