Council publishes draft map of residential zoned land tax areas

The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, have announced the publication of a Draft Residential Zoned Land Tax Map of Meath, by Meath County Council, as part of the implementation of the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT).

The ministers say the RZLT measure is an important component of the pathway to increasing new housing supply, contained in the Government’s Housing for All plan to 2030.

The aim of the tax, which will apply from 2024 to relevant land at a rate of three per cent of market value, is to activate land for residential development throughout the country, rather than to raise revenue.

Minister Donohoe said: “This is an important step in the RZLT implementation process whereby land within scope of the tax has been identified by Meath 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 Meath 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 Meath County Council identifying the land within scope; the final map will be revised annually from 2025 onwards," he asdded.

"Meath 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.”

Minister O’Brien said: “It’s estimated that only one-sixth of residentially zoned land is activated for housing during a local authority’s six-year development plan period. We need to see more suitable land which is serviced and available for housing unlocked for the delivery of homes. Landowners now have an opportunity to make submissions to Meath County Council if they consider that their land does not fall into the scope of the tax, or if landowners wish to seek the rezoning of their land.

Homeowners will not have to pay the tax where the property is subject to the Local Property Tax (LPT). If a homeowner owns such a dwelling, with grounds greater than 0.4047 hectares (1 acre), they will have to register for the RZLT with the Revenue Commissioners, but they will not be liable. Registration is from late 2023 onwards.