Have your say on Waterford's Residential Zoned Land Tax

Waterford City and County Council is advising members of the public they have until January 1st 2023 to check and make submissions on draft maps that show lands in Waterford that will be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax.

The Residential Zoned Land Tax is a new tax aimed at increasing housing supply by activating zoned, serviced residential development lands (including mixed-use lands) for housing. Greenfield and brownfield land which is identified and is zoned for housing (include land zoned mixed-use) will be subject to tax from 2024. The tax is a commitment under Housing for All, the Government’s housing plan to 2030. 

Speaking following the Draft Residential Zoned Land Tax Maps’ publication, Minister Donohoe said: “I welcome the publication of the Draft Residential Zoned Land Tax Map by Waterford City & County Council. This is an important step in the RZLT implementation process whereby land within scope of the tax has been identified by Waterford City & County Council. Landowners whose land is included on a draft map should now review the map and consider if their land meets the criteria for inclusion and make submissions to Waterford City & County Council accordingly. Residential properties, while they might be on the map, are not liable for the tax if they are subject to LPT.

“In the course of 2023, supplemental and a final map will be prepared by Waterford City & County Council identifying the land within scope; the final map will be revised annually from 2025 onwards.

"Waterford requires increased housing supply to meet its housing needs. The RZLT aims to incentivise landowners to activate existing zoned and serviced residential development land for housing on identified lands and lead to the building of more homes.”

The Draft Map is now available to view on the council website and in its public offices. The Draft Map shows lands that will be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax. Landowners and third parties have until January 1st 2023 to make a submission to Waterford City and County Council about whether or not land on the map meets the criteria for being subject to the tax.

They can:

1.      Make a suggested correction to the Draft Residential Zoned Land Tax Map if they feel that the land included on the map does not meet the criteria, or they disagree with the date on which the maps states the land met the criteria

2.      Request a change of zoning of their land so that it is not subject to the tax

3.      Identify other land that should be subject to the tax

Urging people to check the Draft Map, Hugh O’Brien of Waterford City and County Council said, “I would strongly urge members of the public to assess the Draft Map published on Waterford City and County Council’s website and, if required, make a submission before January 1st 2023.

“Waterford requires increased housing supply to meet our housing needs and the new tax aims to incentivise landowners to develop housing on serviced lands zoned for housing, both land with existing planning permission and land without.”

 The Residential Zoned Land Tax is an annual tax, which will be first due in 2024 in respect of lands included on the final maps to be published by local authorities on 1 December 2023. The Residential Zoned Land Tax will apply annually at a rate of 3% of the market value of the land. The tax will be administered on a self-assessed basis.

Homeowners will not have to pay the Residential Zoned Land Tax if they own a residential property which appears on the local authorities’ Residential Zoned Land Tax Maps, but which is subject to the Local Property Tax (LPT). If a homeowner owns such a residential property, and the land/gardens/yards attached to it are greater than 0.4047 hectares, they will have to register for the Residential Zoned Land Tax with the Revenue Commissioners, but they will not be liable to pay the tax. It will be possible to register for the tax from late 2023 onwards.

A homeowner may have to pay the tax if they own a residential property that appears on the local authorities’ Residential Zoned Land Tax maps that is not subject to the LPT.

Waterford City and County Council’s Draft Map can be viewed on https://consult. waterfordcouncil.ie or at its Customer Services Offices at Bailey’s New Street and Civic Offices, Dungarvan.