Vacant Site Register – Levy Increase For 2019

Since 1 January 2017, Local Authorities have been registering vacant sites that fall under the definition of "residential land" or "regeneration land" as set out in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 ("2015 Act"). The 2015 Act has been amended by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 ("2018 Act"), with one of the biggest changes being an increase in the levy due by the owner of a vacant site from 3% to 7% from 2019 onwards.

To recap, the 2015 Act sets out the criteria to be applied by the Local Authority in determining what a vacant site is. It must ensure that that the site:

• measures in excess of 0.05 hectares;
• is suitable for the provision of housing or in an area zoned for residential use; and