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Historic Structures Fund
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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Ireland has a unique built environment of extraordinary quality – our historic buildings and structures are a vital part of our national heritage. There are almost fifty thousand protected structures around Ireland. Many of these are in great need of investment to ensure their preservation and continued use so that they remain a living part of our history and community life into the future.
While the primary responsibility to care for and maintain a protected structure rests with the owner, the Historic Structures Fund will invest essential capital in our valuable built heritage and help the owners and custodians of historic structures to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
- enable larger scale conservation works to be carried out on heritage structures which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
- encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures and/or culturally significant assets;
- support the investment of private capital in labour-intensive projects to conserve historic structures in public and private ownership for community use.
- support employment in the conservation and construction industries.
- build resilience in our heritage properties to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
Applications in respect of refurbishment or reuse projects involving heritage structures, and where a clear residential benefit is demonstrated, are particularly welcomed. Such projects must be advanced through the planning process as necessary.
Note: Applicants to the HSF may be interested in the Conservation Advice Grant Scheme for Vacant Traditional Houses. Applications for this scheme are currently not open, but will re-open in 2025.
For 2025, The Historic Structures Fund will offer grants from €50,000 up to €200,000 only, and focus on larger enhancement, refurbishment or reuse projects involving heritage structures, where:
- A clear community or public benefit has been demonstrated, or
- A clear residential benefit has been demonstrated (such projects must be advanced through the planning process as necessary)
Owners of protected structures seeking funding for smaller scale works, or where there is no community or public benefit, are advised to apply to the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).
The Historic Structures Fund provides capital funding for works to qualifying structures which include the following:
- Protected Structures: Structures in the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) of each Local Authority;
- Structures eligible for or proposed for inclusion in the RPS but not yet formally approved for inclusion. Such structures must meet the criteria for inclusion in the RPS by the Local Authority, i.e. must be of special interest from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical point of view;
- Structures or works within Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs), or within the amenity of a National Monument, where exceptional circumstances apply.
a) projects proposed by local authorities on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of historic structures
b) projects proposed by a Local Authority for works to historic structures in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
Applicants apply through their local authority.
The window for applications opens from today, 7 November, until 17 January 2025.
Applicants should check with their local authority to determine the closing date in their area. Details of the scheme and guidance on how to apply will be available from each local authority. Relevant scheme documentation is available below.
