# Council Development fees - open to negotiation?



## mwhich (8 Jun 2011)

Hi guys, we're hoping to commence our self build sometime in the near future and need to pay approx 4.5k to Waterford County Council for development charges.  Has anybody attempted to renegotiate these with the council recently given the economic situation?


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## onq (8 Jun 2011)

mwhich,

I'm afraid I know of no-one who has successfully argued for a reduction based on economic hardship due to the recession, but other posters here may contribute something in this regard.

OTOH, you are about to spend hundreds of thousands on a self-build - do you think your position will be viewed as credible by the Local Authority or a Court of Law?

Perhaps you could successfully agree staged payments - in that case, see below.

======================

Levies and Contributions normally arise through the wording of a Condition of a Grant of Planning Permission.

Conditions are usually non-negotiable unless you've appealed your permission to An Bórd Pleanála successfully, or unless the wording of the Condition allows for alternative payment arrangements.

Where I have seen these, you are likewise bound by the terms set out on the Condition, so read your permission carefully.

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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## mwhich (9 Jun 2011)

Thanks ONQ for your response.


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## onq (9 Jun 2011)

mistermiste said:


> A lot of people I know renegotiated and even paid only half.



Names of local authorities known to be willing to negotiate for example would give people some hope.
It would be very useful to post a few details to allow readers to  benefit from your experience, or rather, from their experience.
If these anecdotal reports are discovered to be well-founded, they could pave the way for significant cost reduction negotiations in all local authorities.

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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## mwhich (10 Jun 2011)

mistermiste said:


> A lot of people I know renegotiated and even paid only half.


 
I'd be very interested in hearing mistermiste.  It's frustrating having to fork out that large sum of money in this day and age, especially when you don't feel you're getting value for your money...


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## onq (11 Jun 2011)

Thanks for coming back to us on that, mistermiste.

Nice to know some Councils have a sense of the economic reality that supports them.


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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