Claims public ‘misled’ over boundary extension

HOUSEHOLDERS were “misled” on the city boundary extension and only sold the advantages, a county councillor been claimed.

Fianna Fáil’s Frank O’Flynn is to urge County Hall to engage the Boundary Oversight Committee after it emerged that rural house builds now under city council jurisdiction are being hit with much higher development contribution charges, due to the expansion of the boundary.

Mr O’Flynn has said he will raise the matter with fellow county councillors after he was approached by a former constituent close to the city boundary line whose house build was granted planning permission by county planners but who was told to pay €14,531 to the city council in development contributions.

The same planning specifications in the county would have cost just €7,151.

“This person has no water, they are sinking their own well, no sewerage, no public transport, no footpaths, no lighting, nothing,” Mr O’Flynn said. “Yet the charges are doubled just because the property is now in the city.

“Why should the city be collecting money on a decision made by the county? The county did all the work on planning.

“We were told that the transfer would be seamless and that there would be no changes. Householders and families were misled. Any decision made in the county should have the charges stay in the county. I personally feel that this will have to be looked at. I am meeting quite a lot of people that are realising this and they were not told.”

Mr O’Flynn added that councillors in the county — most of whom were opposed to the city boundary extension due to the loss of rates in areas such as Ballincollig, Douglas, and Glanmire — were not informed of the planning levy changes.

“How many more anomalies are out there? None of this was pointed out to the public. We were sold the advantages for people going into the city,” he said.

“There’s a big loss for the county in relation to rates lost to the city and they are now grabbing funding related to planning decisions.”

Development contributions in the city are calculated on rates for road, infrastructure, stormwater management and parks, recreation, and amenities up to €52.70 per square metre.

However, the county’s development contributions for houses are charged at a rate of €24.49 per square metre.