Exemption of Residential Land Zone Tax/Re-zoning of Farmyard

Dear Senior Executive Officer,

I confirm that I, [owner] am the Owner/Director of Conway Farms Ltd in which the lands in question are held/owned. I am writing to request zoning exclusion of our farmland area (1-A & 1-B identified on the attached OSI Map & Development Plan Extract) situated in Kildavin village which was included in the Draft Carlow County Development Plan 2022-2028.

Our request for zoning exclusion is justified based on the following:

1. Land is zoned for residential use:
   1. I request to have the land market 1-B and part of 1-A (refer to Ordinance Survey Map markup & extract from the Draft Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028 mark up attached) removed from residential use zoning.  Currently the land parcel is zoned for existing/infill residential, I highlight that this land forms part of our working farmyard business (refer to extract from the Draft Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028 mark up attached) and is not suited for development based on its existing farmyard use meaning the land is not vacant or idle.
   2. I confirm that the lands referred to above are not intended for development in the lifetime of the Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028.  This parcel of land forms an integral part of our day-to-day farmyard operations, that are critical to the survival of our farming business and those employed there.  This parcel of land is used daily as part of our farmyard, it is critical for holding, sorting, and feeding our cattle livestock herd (Herd Number [ ]). The land parcel sits adjacent to farmyard livestock sheds and forms the core of our livestock management system, and our physical farmyard boundary. These land parcels are also critical for the potential of future expansion into dairy farming due to their proximity to the farmyard buildings. This parcel of land is not vacant or idle and should not be considered under the RZLT remit.

1. Access to or be connected to public infrastructure and facilities necessary for dwelling to be developed, that there is sufficient service capacity available for such development:
   1. These land parcels are not serviceable by Irish Water as the current village treatment plant is ear marked for upgrade with no date scheduled for these works from 2024 to 2028.  The current treatment plant is at overcapacity and is being emptied by tanker on a daily/weekly basis.
   2. Land parcel 1-B and part of 1-A (refer to Ordinance Survey Map markup & extract from the Draft Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028 mark up attached) is landlocked -  by the graveyard to the north, the village boundary to the east, the operating farmyard to the south (as per point 1 above we deem this parcel of land to be part of our operating farmyard, included in its boundary and therefore not vacant or idle), and the land parcel 1-A to the west, meaning no adjacent immediate access to allow connection to public infrastructure  and facilities such as roads, footpaths, foul & surface water drains, water supply , power and telecoms necessary for dwelling to be developed.  All such services are noted to be approximately 200m away from parcel 1-B, through parcel 1-A.
   3. Such connections could not be made accessible without significant infrastructure works, where access is only available from the main village road to the west of parcel 1-A (approximately 200 meters away) and through parcel 1-A. These works if carried out would warrant considerable cost and would prohibitive commercial viability for any development in parcel 1-B given the minimal m2 area of the land available and its use under current planning guidelines stating low density development (noted in Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028).
   4. I confirm that land parcel 1-A is not intended for development in the lifetime of the Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028, it currently supports our day-to-day farming operations. This parcel of land is part of the required grasslands needed to facilitate the health and well-being of our current cattle herd, which is critical to our farm business and those employed there.

1. Presence of known archaeological or historic remains.
   1. Kildavin House, which sits at the forefront of our farmyard is a historical protected structure and deemed an important item of heritage significance in the village. This is addressed within point KD.P11 of the Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028. Routing any significant infrastructure and scaled development in land parcel 1-B or 1-A adjacent to this historic and protected structure would not be in keeping with point KD.P11, which sets out support for future restoration of Kildavin House, landscape and lawns, to retain and maintain for future generations given it is an important item of heritage significance in the village.

1. Farmyard:
   1. The land parcel 1-B and part of 1-A (refer to Ordinance Survey Map markup & extract from the Draft Carlow County Council Development Plan 2022-2028 mark up attached) is currently zoned for existing/infill residential use.  As highlighted above, this land forms part of our working farmyard business and boundary is not suited for development based on its existing farmyard use in support of our cattle herd, meaning the land is not vacant or idle, therefore should be deemed exempt from liability of the RZLT.

1. Development Plan Housing Targets:
   1. As identified within the Draft Carlow County Development Plan 2022-2028, the objective of the Council development plan is to facilitate low density residential development within Kildavin to a maximum of 15 No. Units. It is evident that other lands zoned within Kildavin already provide sufficient area to fulfill and exceed this objective.

If any further information is required to support this submission, please don’t hesitate to contact me on the number above.  I look forward to a positive conclusion regarding this zoning exclusion request.

Warm Regards,

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Owner/Director