2025 Built Heritage Investment Scheme

Submission deadline: Friday September 27, 2024

Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, launched on 26th July the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) for 2025. The BHIS, which supports the owners of historic properties, has awarded €12m in funding to over 1,600 projects nationwide over the past three years.

Grants of up to €50,000 are now available to cover the cost of maintaining and conserving Ireland’s architectural heritage. A significant increase on the previous maximum award of €15,000, the grants will provide a boost for owners seeking help to protect their building’s historic character.

In addition, the timeframe of the scheme is changing with applications open from now until Friday 27 September. Successful projects will be announced in early January 2025, giving owners and craftspeople additional time to schedule and complete their projects during 2025. Previously, applications opened in November with awards announced in March of the following year.

Announcing the scheme, Minister Noonan said:

“These changes will make it easier for owners and custodians of historic buildings to access higher levels of support and get the work done within the required timeframe. It’s vital that we ensure our grant schemes are working for people, so that they in turn can ensure that the architectural heritage of these special buildings is protected into the future. Not only are they a record of our shared past, they are a much loved and irreplaceable feature of our built environment today, contributing hugely to the character of our streets and our sense of place. I strongly encourage anyone interested in availing of the grants to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer or Heritage Officer in their local authority as soon as possible.”

Successful projects will be announced in January 2025, with a full list to be published on gov.ie. Further details about the scheme and its eligibility requirements is outlined below:

Overview and key points on Built Heritage Investment Scheme:

Total funding available under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) will be confirmed in Budget 2025. During 2024, €9 million was made available across the BHIS and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) schemes.

Applicants may receive a maximum of €50,000 under the scheme, which must represent no more than 80% of the project’s total cost. The limit for state funding under previous versions of the scheme was 50%. Applicants must therefore provide at least 20% of the project cost from non-state funding, an example applicant in receipt of the full €50,000 would need to provide a minimum €12,500 of their own funding.

Buildings/structures eligible for funding under the scheme include:

• Protected structures (i.e. those on the local authority’s record of protected structures)
• Proposed protected structures (i.e. buildings the local authority has proposed to add to its list)
• Structures in Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs are defined by the Local Authority)
• Vernacular buildings (max grant for these is €30,000)

Applications are now open and will run until 27th September. Details and documentation of the schemes and how to apply are available below.

Contact

Architectural Conservation Section
Planning Department
Clare County Council
New Road Ennis
Co Clare
Telephone: 065 6846407 6846451
Email: forwardplan@clarecoco.ie

Page last updated: 02/08/24

Content managed by: Planning Department

Back to top