COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 12, 2022

QUESTION NO. 30

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the chief executive to outline what Heritage Grants are available to apply for by the council and other agencies and who can apply for them?

REPLY:

Clarification was sought from Cllr Timmons in relation to this item to clarify if the question was referring to Architectural Heritage grants and in particular to the Architectural Conservation Grant Funding schemes. 

There are currently two funding streams under National Architectural Conservation Grant Scheme for Protected Structures which is funded by the Department Housing, Local government and Heritage and administered and managed by the Councils Architectural Conservation Officer, LUPT. 

Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS)

The allocation for each Local Authority is provided by the Department as part of National Architectural Conservation grant funding and is announced at the end of each year for the following year by the Minister.  The BHIS has been announced for 2023 and the allocation for SDCC is €96,000.  Applicants are being invited to apply for conservation works to Protected Structures or Buildings within Architectural Conservation Areas.  Owners or Occupiers can apply under the Scheme and one application can be submitted by the Local Authority for works to a Protected Structure in their ownership.  The closing date for BHIS 2023 is the 27th of January 2023.

Historic Structures Fund (HSF)

The primary focus of the Historic Structures Fund is on caring for and restoring Protected Structures (historic structures and buildings) for the benefit of communities and the public.  

The Historic Structures Fund Streams:

  1. Stream 1 will offer grants from €15,000 up to €50,000 and is aimed at essential repairs and smaller capital works for the refurbishment and conservation of heritage structures. Inclusion of a sub Stream 1 for Historic Shopfronts – To incentivise the conservation of historic shop fronts, each Local Authority is invited to submit an additional application under Stream 1 for eligible essential repairs and small capital works for the refurbishment and conservation of historic shop facades, windows, signage and other associated details to safeguard them and keep them in use.
  2. Stream 2 will offer a small number of grants from €50,000 up to €200,000 for larger enhancement, refurbishment or reuse projects involving historic structures, where a clear community or public benefit has been demonstrated (funding of up to €4m for 2022 under this Stream) and addition of refurbishment or reuse projects for residential use under ‘Housing for All commitments’.
  3. Vernacular Structures Stream - Funding of up to €50,000. The purpose of the stream is to support conservation repairs and small capital works to vernacular structures that are not listed in local authority Records of Protected Structures or otherwise legally protected. Such structures may be located within an Architectural Conservation Area. All local authorities can apply for funding for specific projects of between €5,000 and €10,000 for eligible projects.

Owners/Occupiers of Protected Structures can apply to SDCC under HSF and Local Authorities can apply under the Historic Structures Fund under one of the streams above.  The closing date for applications under the Historic Structures Fund 2023 is the 23rd of January 2023. 

Details of both Architectural Conservation Grant Schemes have been advertised in the Local Newspapers and details and applications forms are available through the Councils website. 

Applicants cannot avail of funding under both the Historic Structures Fund and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in the same year.