Latest news with #BuiltHeritageInvestmentScheme
Agriland
31-07-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Grant of Up to E20000 for Historic Thatched Buildings
Government grants of up to €20,000 are being made available under a scheme to preserve historic thatched buildings. The Housing, Local Government and Heritage has today (Friday, July 25) announced the opening of applications for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) 2026, which includes a dedicated funding stream for historic thatched buildings. The department said the scheme supports owners and custodians of historic buildings to maintain and conserve the important structures which are an essential part of Ireland's cultural landscape. The scheme, administered through local authorities, provides grant aid of between €2,500 and €50,000 for works to buildings which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts. The funding is also available for vernacular buildings or historic shopfronts without statutory protection. Owners of thatched buildings can apply for dedicated funding for their heritage structures under the separate thatched buildings stream, though only one grant may be awarded per applicant. The department noted that the applicant must provide at least 20% of the project cost from non-state funding. The closing date for applications to local authorities is September 26, 2025. Successful projects will be announced in January 2026. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne said that each year owners of Ireland's historic buildings help to preserve the architectural legacy of our towns and countryside. He noted that owners of these properties are contending with the higher costs and more complex requirements of maintaining older buildings. 'The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is a vital support to those people who have taken on the responsibility of protecting the architectural evidence of our past ways of life while also introducing new vitality into our historic buildings. "Whether through inheritance, family connection, the desire for a home, or out of a simple love for the history and character of older buildings, owners and occupiers of historically important structures make a daily contribution to the sense of tradition and character present in so many of our communities," he said. The minister encouraged anyone interested in availing of the grants to contact the architectural conservation officer or heritage officer in their local authority "as soon as possible". The BHIS is complemented by the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), a separate scheme focusing on grants of between €50,000 and €200,000 to assist larger-scale projects. Applications for the HSF will open towards the end of 2025.
Irish Independent
28-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Grant scheme aiming to protect Sligo'sheritage
The grant scheme supports the conservation of the historic environment, supporting owners of heritage buildings to undertake conservation works. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan announced the opening of applications. BHIS supports owners and custodians of historic buildings to maintain and conserve the important structures which form an essential part of Ireland's cultural landscape. Every year the owners and occupiers of Ireland's historic buildings help to preserve the architectural legacy of towns and countryside. The funding will help owners and custodians of built heritage to undertake the repair and rejuvenation of these historic buildings, presenting them to their best effect today and safeguarding them into the future. Administered through the Local Authorities, the BHIS is designed to support these efforts by providing grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 for works to buildings which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts, and to vernacular buildings or historic shopfronts lacking in statutory protection but which remain essential to our architectural heritage. Owners of thatched buildings can also apply for dedicated funding of up to €20,000 under the separate thatched buildings stream. Announcing the 2026 schemes, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan TD, said: 'I am delighted that my Department continues to offer these supports under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, which also address modern concerns by enabling the utilisation of our traditional building stock to meet housing needs, revitalise communities, and keep historic properties in use for the families and communities of the future. 'I look forward to seeing the impacts of this funding in the coming months and years.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council and Chair of Sligo Heritage Forum, Cllr Donal Gilroy, said: 'I strongly believe in the importance of supporting communities to protect and conserve our shared built heritage and recognise that this relies on the dedication of many different parties, including owners and custodians, skilled craftspeople, and local authority experts. 'Sligo County Council is delighted to support the delivery of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and I would encourage anyone considering applying to get in touch with the Heritage Office, Sligo County Council as soon as possible.' Administered in conjunction with Local Authority Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and Planning and Administrative staff, both grant schemes will assist hundreds of small-scale, labour-intensive projects as well as larger-scale projects to repair and conserve our historic built environment. The Heritage Office, Sligo County Council will host an information webinar on the BHIS 2026 grant scheme on Thursday 14th August 2025 at 12 noon. To Register, please email conservation@ The closing date for applications is 4pm Friday 26th September 2025.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Popular Tipperary landmark to get new lease of life with funding allocated for restoration
The Town Clock in Carrick-on-Suir has been awarded funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for upgrade works to the landmark. The local landmark has fallen into disrepair in recent years, with councillor Kieran Bourke raising the issue at past meetings. At the May meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District (MD), it was confirmed that €9,000 in funding had been allocated to carry out works on the town's landmark. The Carrick-on-Suir MD have also allocated €10,000 towards the project from their municipal funding allowance. Plans for the restoration works on the clock are now complete, with the National Monuments Service also having been served with notice of intention to carry out works. The next step, councillors were informed at May's MD meeting, is for a bat survey to be carried out to ensure that any works on the landmark don't disturb any bats that may be living within the clock itself. Works to provide safe access for anyone working on the clock will be the first to take place, followed by getting the clock itself working again, as well as restoration works to the timber louvres that sit on top of the clock tower. Works on the masonry and the leadwork on the historic clock will be carried out at a later date, subject to additional funding from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, councillors at the meeting were also informed. "It's a slow process, even the National Monuments Service, we must stand down for two months before we do what's in the notification, but in the meantime we'll get the bat survey done and and get all the works done, but it's lined up,' the district administrator told the meeting.
Irish Independent
30-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Pond project at historic Wicklow house is Ireland's first finalist at European awards
The European Young Heritage Entrepreneur of the Year award rewards the spirit of sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship amongst young owners of historic houses across Europe. It is a European Historic Houses initiative and supported by Rothschild and Patrice Besse. Thomas submitted a project involving the restoration of the pond at Altidore Castle in 2023. Altidore Castle was built in the 1730s, with written records of the pond recorded shortly afterwards. The project lasted for several weeks and consisted of the digging out of the pond so silt and years of debris could be cleared out. The restoration project was funded through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme from Wicklow County Council. Thomas said: 'It's such an honour to be the runner up in this prestigious prize and to get recognition for the sustainability work we have done at Altidore. As someone taking over a historic house and looking at the diversification of an estate towards more biodiversity and sustainable practices I am delighted to be a finalist. "It was my first big project working with the county council and it's really amazing to see what a difference the project and the funding made. We also got advice from Historic Houses of Ireland who do such great work supporting privately built heritage. "It took a year of planning and execution but heritage is not simply built heritage but the surroundings on an estate and any project maintaining heritage allows us to connect to the processes used in the past but also to bring forward those processes into the future. "It's great for visitors when we're open to the public to see the pond back to its original glory. And of course we are delighted to see the huge increase in biodiversity in the pond from tadpoles to a few ducks and even a heron!' Philip Emmet, owner of Altidore Castle and Thomas' father, said: 'I'm delighted, Altidore has been an organic farm for over thirty years and we have always had an eye towards biodiversity and sustainability. "We planted three native woodlands twenty years ago and the river that runs through Altidore is a blue dot river, the highest designation. It's important that the next generation are always looking towards a greener future. I'm really proud of Thomas and his hard work.' Altidore Castle is open to the public for house tours throughout May and will hold its first biodiversity walk on Saturday, May 24.
Irish Examiner
28-04-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
€30k restoration of St Anne's Church doors set to begin
Work is set to get underway on an iconic feature of St Anne's Church as part of a series of measures to preserve the iconic landmark. Funding worth €30,000 from the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) will be used to restore the front doors of the church, which is located in Cork City's Shandon area. The doors, which date back more than three centuries, have served as an entry point to worshippers, locals, and tourists over those years. This restoration is part of a series of works identified in the Conservation Management Plan conducted last year. Funded by the Community Monument Fund, the plan outlined key preservation and conservation measures central to the building's longevity. Reverend Meghan Farr from St Anne's Church described the importance of the work involved. 'The doors of St Anne's Shandon have stood as a symbol of welcome and openness for over three centuries. They are not just a physical gateway but a reflection of our mission to embrace all who come through them. This restoration ensures that we can continue to extend that welcome for generations to come. She thanked the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Cork City Council for their support. The restoration work follows a recent allocation of €130,000 from the Community Monument Fund also run by the department. This funding will support phase one works identified in the Conservation Management Plan, which include repairs to the timber and metal structures supporting the bells. The projects will complement urgent repairs to the clock face and mechanism with the help of a €250,000 grant awarded to Cork City Council under the Historic Structures Fund. This is part of a broader commitment to revitalising the Shandon area through strategic investment in its architectural heritage. The church will be closed for construction during certain periods, details of which will be highlighted on the church website and its social media accounts. For more information visit
