In an effort to reduce the number of cars in Ciney’s city center, authorities have introduced a tax of €6,000 on accommodations that do not possess a private parking space. Arnaud and Louise were surprised to receive this tax, as their newly purchased property is lacking a private parking facility. Jean Paquet, a real estate agent, warns that this tax has a significant impact on promoters as it can raise the final sale price of apartments. The tax has been in place since 2013 and aims to limit car overload in the city center, but it is unclear who is affected by this tax. Arnaud and Louise have launched a petition with other citizens to contest the tax as it does not concern their property, located outside of the city center.
In Ciney, the authorities want at all costs to reduce the number of cars in the city center. To do this, a tax has been introduced. It targets accommodations that are not equipped with a private parking space. It amounts to 6000 euros.
Arnaud and Louise still can’t believe it. The City of Ciney forces them to pay a tax of €6,000 because their new property does not have a parking space. “On was very surprised to receive this tax“, indicates Louise. “The amount is huge for us. The two-month period to pay is really very short according to our means.”
The couple bought an old garage to make it a home, but the place does not have any private parking facilities. For Louise, however, we know how to park there. “You can clearly see on the ground that you know how to park“, explains the young woman. “Our neighbors have the same problem as us because they don’t have a garage but they don’t have to pay the tax. For us, it’s because we wanted to transform the building.“
Even if this tax concerns individuals, Jean Paquet, real estate agent, knows it: it has a significant financial impact for promoters. “It may sometimes be that on a project of 20 apartments, there are only 10 possible parking solutions“, he said. “And so there are 10 parking taxes at €6,000 per space. The cost will be reflected in the final sale price of the apartments.“
Since 2013
In Ciney, this tax has been in place since 2013. The aim is to avoid car overload in the town centre. “The Walloon Region wants the city to be built on the city“, says Guy Milcamps, alderman for town planning and land use planning for Ciney.It’s very good but it poses a parking problem everywhere in the city center. Because we divide the housing and we divide the housing to limit the use of land.“
But when we ask who is affected by this tax, the answer is unclear. “It only concerns promoters or investors who buy or build in Ciney and who are faced with the problem of parking“, replies the alderman.
A petition launched
Except that Arnaud and Louise do not feel concerned by this problem since their property is not in the city center. In the meantime, the couple decided to contest this tax and launched a petition with other citizens.
In conclusion, the parking tax implemented in Ciney has been causing concerns and financial burdens for individuals and developers alike. While the aim of reducing traffic in the city center is commendable, the unclear application of the tax has resulted in confusion and frustration among citizens. Arnaud and Louise’s petition highlights the need for clearer guidelines and fairer implementation of the tax. It remains to be seen how the authorities will respond to these concerns and whether any changes will be made in the future.