Landowners now have an “additional opportunity” to make submissions on the new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT), because of the “extension of the initial liability date to February 1, 2025”, according to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Minister Darragh O’Brien, together with the Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, today (Thursday, December 7) said that the deferral of the initial liability date for RZLT for 12 months to February 1, 2025 “is an important step to ensure fairness and transparency in the process of implementing the tax”.
The RZLT, which was originally due to come into force from next February, but was deferred in Budget 2024, applies to land that is zoned for residential use and has access to services such as water supply, roads and lighting.
It is being introduced as part of the government’s Housing for All plan.
According to Minister Michael McGrath said: “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 tax measure is a key pillar of the government’s response to address the urgent need to increase housing supply in suitable locations.
“However, affected landowners should have another opportunity to engage with the mapping process before the tax comes into effect, especially considering the application of the tax to previously unaffected lands for the first time.”
Minister O’Brien also reaffirmed today that following the deferral date of the tax liability “landowners now have an additional opportunity to make submissions to their local authority, if they consider that their land does not fall into the scope of the tax, or if they wish to seek the re-zoning of their land”.
Cork County Council
Meanwhile Cork County Council has published its final RZLT map for 2024 which includes all land that has been identified as “appropriate locations for housing”.
According to a statement issued by Cork County Council today the 2024 map is now available on its website.
The map includes lands that meet the relevant criteria for inclusion “as set out in the current legislation”.
The council stated: “The final map does not reflect appeal decisions or judicial review decisions made after November 1, 2023 regarding land identified on the draft or supplemental maps published in November 2022 and May 2023, respectively.
“Where these decisions are made by January 1, 2024, they will be reflected on the draft revised final map for 2025. The revised final map will be published by January 31 from 2025 onwards.”
RZLT
According to Cork County Council, local authorities are responsible for identifying the land that is subject to RZLT.
The tax – which will be calculated at 3% of the market value of land “in scope” – will operate on a self-assessment basis.
“The tax will be administered by the Revenue Commissioners and landowners will have to register for the tax.
“There will be a chance to make submissions in respect of land on the draft revised final map for 2025 during 2024.
“A draft revised final RZLT map for 2025 will be published by February 1, 2024. There is no opportunity to make submissions in respect of land identified on the final map published on December 1, 2023,” the council stated.
However, it has also outlined that “submissions can challenge the inclusion or exclusion of land on the draft revised final map for 2025” based on the relevant criteria.
“In addition, rezoning requests may be made by owners of land on the map,” the council stated.