This section inserts a new Article 7A into the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, providing for an additional regional rate to be levied on large retail hereditaments. Provision is made in paragraph (1) for an additional regional rate of 8.52 pence in the pound for the rating year ending 31st March 2013. Paragraph (2) allows an additional regional rate to be made and levied on the rateable net annual value of every large retail hereditament for the years ending 31st March 2014 and 31st March 2015. Paragraph (3) provides for the definitions of ‘large retail hereditament’, ‘retail sales’ and ‘sales of goods’ for the purpose of the Article, while paragraph (4) allows these definitions to be modified by subordinate legislation subject to affirmative resolution.
Paragraph (5) provides that the additional regional rate under paragraph (1) will be treated for the purposes of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 as a rate made by the Department of Finance and Personnel on the day that section 1 of the Rates (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2012 comes into operation.
Paragraphs (6) to (11) deal with consequential matters to allow the additional regional rate to be collected in line with the general rate (regional rate and district rate) in respect of any hereditament.