Residential Zoned Land Tax - Supplemental Map

Closed1 May, 2023, 9:00am - 1 Jun, 2023, 11:59am

Residential Zoned Land Tax - Supplemental Map

Open (1st May – 1st June 2023)

 

The Government’s Housing For All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland proposed a new tax to activate vacant land for residential purposes as a part of the Pathway to Increasing New Housing Supply.

The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) was introduced in the Finance Act 2021. The process to identify land to which the tax applies is now underway and the tax will be payable from 2024.

The objective of the tax is to activate land that is serviced and zoned for residential use or mixed use, including residential use, in order to increase housing supply and to ensure regeneration of vacant and idle lands in urban locations. These locations have been identified within statutory land use plans as being appropriate locations for housing and they have benefitted from investment in the key services to support the delivery of housing. 

The RZLT process has two parts:

1) Identification and mapping of the land in scope for the tax. This is undertaken by local authorities through the publication of draft and supplemental maps – see below.

2) Administration of the tax, which is to be undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners from 2024 onwards. 

IDENTIFICATION OF LAND LIABLE TO RZLT

Land liable to RZLT is identified through a staged process as outlined below.

DRAFT MAP STAGE – SUBMISSIONS CLOSED

Carlow County Council prepared and published draft maps of the land considered to be in scope for the RZLT on 1st November 2022.  Submissions could be made in respect of land on the draft map up to 1st January 2023.  Submissions could challenge the inclusion of land on the draft map, the date on which land was considered to fall within the scope of the tax, or request a change in zoning. Submissions could also identify additional land considered to be in scope for the tax.

If you made a submission on the draft map relating to land you own, Carlow County Council has been in touch with you in relation to the outcome of their consideration of your submission. 

SUPPLEMENTAL MAP STAGE – SUBMISSIONS OPEN UNTIL 1st JUNE 2023

As a consequence of amendments to zonings, Carlow Council has prepared a supplemental map of land in Carlow Town and Environs considered to be in scope for the RZLT as of April 1, 2023.

An interactive supplemental map is available below on this website, in addition to downloadable pdf maps in the 'Materials' section.  Alternatively, the draft map can be viewed in hard copy format during normal opening hours (excluding public holidays) at Carlow County Council, Athy Road, Carlow.

Any interested individuals or parties may make submissions in respect of land on the supplemental map from 1 May 2023 until 1 June 2023. This is dealt with in further detail below.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THEY ARE INCLUDED ON THE MAP, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RZLT IF THEY ARE SUBJECT TO LOCAL PROPERTY TAX. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MAKE A SUBMISSION TO REMOVE THIS TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FROM THE MAP.

INTERACTIVE MAP

Click to view map

It is important to note that submissions at this stage can only be made about land contained in the supplemental map.  Submissions should not be made about land which was contained on the draft maps published by Carlow County Council in November 2022.

Submissions can challenge the inclusion of particular lands on the supplemental map on the basis that those lands do not meet the criteria set out within the relevant legislation as included in the ‘Materials’ section of this consultation webpage; the date on which the land is considered to meet this criteria; or can request a change of zoning. Submissions should not identify additional land which appear to meet the criteria as there is no provision for adding new land to the maps at this stage in the process. Any additional land which appears to meet the criteria may be identified in the course of the submissions process which will take place as part of the annual update to the maps from 2024 onwards.

Final map – 1 December 2023

Land appearing on both the draft and supplemental maps will, subject to the outcome of submissions made in respect of both maps, be included on the final map of land in scope for the tax in the local authority area to be published on 1 December 2023. This land will be subject to the tax unless it is exempt as a residential property, as outlined above, or falls within any other exemption provided for in legislation.

The final map will be reviewed and revised annually from 2025 onwards.
 

The RZLT maps as prepared and published by Carlow County Council includes lands that meet the relevant criteria for inclusion on the map as set out in the legislation.

The administration of the RZLT is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.  

The legislation underpinning the RZLT may be found at Part 22A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 as introduced in Finance Act 2021 and amended in Finance Act 2022. Guidance in respect of the administration of the tax may be found here

The Residential Zoned Land Tax Guidelines, as prepared and published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, to aid planning authorities in publishing the maps can be viewed in the 'Materials' section of this consultation webpage. 

You can find answers to some frequently asked questions about the RZLT and how to make a submission in the ‘Materials’ section of this consultation webpage.

MAKING A SUBMISSION ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL MAP

Submissions regarding the supplemental map can be made up to and including June 1st 2023. Submissions can:

  • Challenge the inclusion of land on the supplemental map if the owner considers that the land does not meet the criteria which determine the land in scope
  • Challenge the date the land is considered to be in scope
  • Request a change of zoning

Please note your submission must clearly identify the site and outline what change (i.e. exclusion of land on a local authority map or the date on which the site first met the criteria for inclusion on the map) to the Residential Zoned Land Tax mapping you are seeking, as well as provide a justification for the change sought. The submission must state the criteria set out in Section 653B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 on which you rely in your submission for the land being out of scope. The local authority may also request additional information after the receipt of your submission (e.g. proof of ownership or further information).  

LANDOWNER SUBMISSIONS

If you are making a submission on the supplemental map in respect of land that you own or on behalf of the landowner, please note the following:

  • The submission must include your name and address.
  • Submissions from a landowner in respect of their own land must be accompanied by an Ordnance Survey map showing the property at an appropriate scale, 1:1000 (urban areas) suitable to identify the land in question. Please note the local authority may request proof of site ownership.
  • If your land is on the map, you may wish to bring to the local authority’s attention matters which demonstrate that the land is not in scope for the tax, or that the date which the land was considered in-scope is not correct and should be changed. 
  • Reference to criteria in Section 653B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 – any submission should reference these along with evidence for consideration by the local authority to support any claims regarding the serviced nature of the land or any exclusions which should be applied.
  • The submission should set out any justification for the exclusion of land, with reference to the criteria in the legislation.
  • If you are making a submission in relation to zoning, please note that a submission requesting a change in zoning can only be made in relation to land that is on the supplemental map. 
  • Where a land use zoning change is sought, the landowner should set out why the change in zoning is in the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, as well as any other circumstances which they wish to bring to the local authority’s attention.

THIRD PARTY SUBMISSIONS

If you are making a submission about land on the supplemental map that you don’t own then you are a third-party submitter. Third parties cannot make a submission in relation to zoning.

In your submission you should include:

  • Your name and address.
  • Information to identify the land - either a written description, an Eircode or a map with the area outlined. Where the local authority cannot identify the land they may not be able to take the submission into account.
  • You may wish to bring to the local authority’s attention matters which demonstrate that the land is not in scope for the tax, or that the date which the land was considered in-scope is not correct and should be changed. 
  • Reference to criteria in Section 653B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 – any submission should reference these along with evidence for consideration by the local authority to support any claims regarding the serviced nature of the land or any exclusions which should be applied.
  • The submission should set out any justification for exclusion of land, with reference to the criteria in the legislation.

IN WHAT FORMAT SHOULD THE SUBMISSION BE MADE?


Submissions on the supplemental map may be made in one of the following ways:

  • Write to: Senior Executive Officer, ‘clearly marked’ – Residential Zoned Land Tax, Planning Department, Carlow County Council, Athy Road, Carlow.
  • Online: Via this online consultation portal at Make a Submission on consult.carlow.ie 

or

 

In respect of making any submission, be it by the landowner or a third party, please note the following:   

  • The personal information (data) collected during the consultation process is collected for the purpose of receiving and dealing with submissions.
  • Contact details provided may be used to contact a submitter who claims to be the landowner of a particular site. This will be to request evidence as is necessary to prove their ownership of the site, as per section 653G(4) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 or request further information from the landowner as per section 653H(2) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.
  • A local authority may, where it considers it necessary for the purposes of making the determination, within 21 days from the date of receipt of the submission Section 653H(1) Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 request further information from Irish Water, the National Roads Authority or from a person referred to in article 28 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001.
  • For further information on how [local authority] processes Personal Data please see our Privacy Statement https://www.carlow.ie/wp-content/documents/uploads/Data%20Protection%20Policy%20GDPR%20Carlow%20Co%20Co%2013th%20June%202018.pdf
  • Please identify any parts of your submission which contain personal or commercially sensitive data which you do not wish to be published. 

 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

All written submissions will be evaluated. A written determination will be made by the Local authority regarding submissions by landowners. Key steps the local authority will take prior to publishing a final map include, but are not limited to the following.

For submissions which were made on the Draft Map

  • Where a landowner requested the exclusion of their site from the draft map on the basis that it does not meet the criteria for being in scope, or challenges the date from which land on the map met this criteria, the local authority must notify the owner of its decision to retain or exclude land from the draft map not later than 1st April 2023.
  • An appeal of the local authority decision on a landowner’s submission on the draft map, must be lodged by the landowner with An Bord Pleanála by 1st May 2023.

Supplemental Map

  • Submissions in respect of land identified on the supplemental map only must be made no later than 1st June 2023. 
  • Submissions received in relation to the supplemental map will be published on the local authority website by 11th June 2023 (note: personal data, i.e. name, address of submitter and contact details of the submitter, are redacted, but location of lands to which the submission relates are published along with the grounds of the submission).
  • Where a landowner requests the exclusion of their site from the supplemental map on the basis that it does not meet the criteria for being in scope, or challenges the date from which land on the map met this criteria, the local authority must notify the owner of its decision not later than 1st August 2023.
  • Where a landowner wishes to appeal a decision by the local authority not to exclude land on the supplemental map to An Bord Pleanála they must do so by 1st September 2023.
  • The local authority must - reflecting the outcome of any appeals to the Board, any exclusions to maps on foot of determinations made by the local authorities in response to submissions made or changes in zoning – prepare and publish a final map by 1st December 2023.
  • Where a landowner has requested a change to the zoning of their land, the Local Authority shall evaluate the submission and consider whether to propose the making of a variation. (An initiation of the variation process will only take place after evaluation of any requests for change of zoning made in relation to the draft and supplemental maps in order to allow all requests for changes to zoning to be considered together)

Further information on the process is available in ‘Residential Zoned Land Tax - Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ as published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage here

CAN I APPEAL A DECISION OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY?

A landowner had until 1st May 2023 to appeal the local authority decision regarding submissions made in respect of the draft map to An Bord Pleanála.

Landowners have until 1st September 2023 to appeal the local authority decision regarding submissions in respect of the supplemental map to An Bord Pleanála. Appeals must be made in writing setting out the grounds of appeal. There are no provisions for a third party to appeal a local authority decision to retain or remove land from a draft or supplemental map

HOW CAN I FIND OUT FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAPPING AND SUBMISSIONS PROCESS?

​If further information is required on the mapping process or on making a submission please check ‘Your Questions Answered’ which can be found here in the ‘Materials’ section of this consultation page. If your query relates to a particular area of land or if the answer is not contained in the FAQ’s, please contact the Planning Department.

Further information on the process is also available via ‘Residential Zoned Land Tax - Guidelines for Planning Authorities’. here

As outlined above, the RZLT process has two parts.  Local authorities are required to undertake the mapping which identifies the land which is subject to the tax, including an annual update of the final map which will be published on 1 December 2023. Thereafter, the administration of the tax will be undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners.

As the local authority do not administer the tax we are unable to answer any queries regarding the administration of the tax. All queries regarding the administration of the tax should be directed to the Revenue Commissioners.

Having regard to the respective roles of local authorities and the Revenue Commissioners in the RZLT process, queries on the mapping should be made to Carlow County Council. This includes queries on;

  • Criteria for inclusion on Draft map (draft map published on 1st November 2022)
  • Submissions on Draft Map (deadline passed 1st January 2023)
  • Determinations on Draft Map (landowners advised of determinations on or before 1st April 2023)
  • Supplemental map (published 1st May 2023)
  • Submissions on supplemental map – no later than 1st June 2023
  • Determinations on Supplemental map – no later than 1st August 2023
  • Zoning submissions
  • Appeals (which must be submitted to An Bord Pleanála)
  • Final map – to be published no later than 1st December 2023
  • Annual revised Final map – to be published annually from 2025 onwards

Queries on administration of the tax should be made to the Revenue Commissioners websiteThis includes queries on;

  • What constitutes a relevant site for the purpose of RZLT
  • Liable persons
  • Amount of residential zoned land tax
  • Obligation to register
  • Obligation on liable person to prepare and deliver return
  • Deferrals and abatements of residential zoned land tax, as well as exemptions from same

WHAT DO I DO IF I AM A HOMEOWNER

My house and garden is contained on the map. What is the consequence?

Your house and garden is identified on the map because it meets the criteria for the tax, which is based on residential led zonings and servicing by infrastructure suitable for provision of housing.  The house and garden are not liable for the tax, as long as the house is subject to Local Property Tax (LPT).

Do I need to make a submission?

It’s not necessary. Even if your house is identified on the maps, residences are not liable for the tax where they are subject to LPT. 

What if my garden is greater than 0.4047ha (1 acre)

If your garden is greater than this size, then you need to register for the RZLT with the Revenue Commissioners, however your house and garden will not be liable for the tax. You will be able to register for RZLT from late 2023 onwards. No action needs to be taken to register at this time.  Please see revenue.ie for details closer to the time.