# planning permission for extension: shocked at the size of "council contribution"



## dishwasher (23 Apr 2010)

Have just got planning permission for our extension (hurrah!) but are shocked at the size of a "contribution" that the council have put as a condition of our permission (more than 6k).   

We hoping to  remodel an existing converted attic and adding an extension to the side - partly replacing an existing garage that will be knocked to make room.  

What are the views of you experts on:
1. whether they should exclude the attic floor area when calculating the bill
2. whether the floor area should also be excluded
3. whether we can deduct the 40sqm that  is exempted
4. what this payment is actually for?

Thank you
dishwasher


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## onq (23 Apr 2010)

Council contributions are not arbitrary.
They are voted on by Members as part of a list.
This list normally includes things like the provision of roads, drains, parks and special contributions such as the provision of a local LUAs line, etc.

The Council can charge for facilities already in place or scheduled to be put in place.
The list should be available for perusal on the Council website or at the Council offices.

The application form should contain notes on what should be included or not.
As far as I can recall the first 40 sq is usually excluded, but this may vary from Council to Council so check it.
Attic conversions are not considered to be development as far as I can recall, so this shouldn't have been included in any permission.

Did your architect not advise you on all of this prior to lodgement?


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon   as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be   taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in   Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at   hand.


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## kkelliher (24 Apr 2010)

extensions are not usually subject to contributions as the contribution would have been dispursed on the original build? I think you should check this out for an error


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## dishwasher (25 Apr 2010)

Thank you for your replies.   The contribution scheme does apply to extensions - unfortunately for us.   The new scheme was published after our application was submitted and applies to all permission granted from 1 January.  Our architect is querying the figures with the council on the basis that we should be able to deduct the sqm of the existing garage - which would roughly half the fee.  Every penny counts at this stage.


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## onq (25 Apr 2010)

dishwasher,

Please read my above post again, where I stated:  
_"As far as I can recall the first 40 sq is usually excluded, but this may vary from Council to Council so check it."_
Its not the area of the of the garage your architect should be seeking to  have deducted except insofar as this might be included in the 40 sqm.

Your architect should focus on this - the first 40 sqm could be deductible!
This may exceed the total garage area by a factor of 200% or more assuming a 2.6M x 5.0M garage.
I don't know where your proposed dwelling is located but here is the Contribution Scheme for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

[broken link removed]

_Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Development Contribution Scheme 2010-2017
(under Section 48, Planning & Development Act,2000, as amended)
Adopted by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County_

Page 6, Section 10, Exemptions and Reductions, states as follows; -

_EXEMPTIONS AND REDUCTIONS

10. 

The following categories of development will be exempted from
the requirement to pay development contributions under the
Scheme, or will be required to pay a reduced contribution:
__• The first 40 square metres of any residential extension,
including granny flats, shall be exempt from the contribution
scheme. All house extensions in excess of 40 square metres,
including family or “granny” flats, shall be assessed at €130
per square metre of residential development in respect of the
portion exceeding 40 square metres. Domestic extensions for
accommodation of disabled person(s) are exempted in full in
cases where a Disabled Persons Grant is approved._
​You should carefully read your own Council's online Contributions Scheme as well as the relevant legislation.
This should be contained in Section 48, Planning & Development Act, 2000, in case there might be some confusion arising.
You can read the act online here: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0030/print.html

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon    as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be    taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in    Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at    hand.


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## dishwasher (26 Apr 2010)

thanks onq - will follow this up


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## Been (24 Apr 2012)

Does this mean that if I build a large garage over 40sqm, the planning permission will have contributions for anything in excss of 40sqm? Does this rate reflect the fact that it is a garage


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## rayn (24 Apr 2012)

An Bord pleanala regularly reduce councils "contributions" under their contributions scheme. Might be worth an appeal.


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## ajapale (24 Apr 2012)

Note: this discussion is two years old.


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## Docarch (25 Apr 2012)

rayn said:


> An Bord pleanala regularly reduce councils "contributions" under their contributions scheme. Might be worth an appeal.


 
I have also seen ABP go the other way - i.e. up the contributions that were levied by the local authority.


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