If your house, shop or outbuilding is a protected structure, repairs cost more than they would on an ordinary building — the materials and the trades are specialist, and you are not free to do it the cheap way. This is the scheme that exists to meet that gap, and it is the one most owners of protected structures should look at first.
Quick facts
- Worth
- Between €2,500 and €50,000
- For
- Structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts
- Also covers
- Vernacular buildings, historic shopfronts, and a micro stream for routine maintenance
- Apply to
- Your local authority
- Bigger job?
- Over €50,000 it is the Historic Structures Fund instead
What it is for
"The Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2027 (BHIS) is for the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts."
"Grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 are available." That lower bound matters: there is a floor as well as a ceiling.
Part of the point is keeping the skills alive. The scheme aims to support "the employment of skilled and experienced conservation professionals, craftspeople and tradespersons in the repair of the historic built environment".
The streams people miss
This is the change worth knowing about, because it moved: "The scheme also incorporates streams for vernacular buildings and historic shopfronts, which were previously part of the Historic Structures Fund, as well as a ‘micro’ grant stream for works of routine maintenance and minor repairs."
So if you were told at some point to apply to the Historic Structures Fund for a shopfront or a vernacular building, that advice is now out of date — those come through this scheme. And the micro stream means ordinary maintenance can qualify, not only major conservation work.
Where to apply
Not to the Department. "The fund is administered through Local Authorities." and "You can apply through your local authority."
In practice that means your county council's heritage or conservation officer, who is also the person who can tell you whether a proposed repair will qualify before you commit to a quote. That conversation is free and worth having first.
Common questions
How much is the Built Heritage Investment Scheme worth?
Grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 are available. Below that range the job is too small for the scheme; above it, the Historic Structures Fund is the relevant one.
Does my building have to be a protected structure?
The scheme is for the repair and conservation of structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts. It also has streams for vernacular buildings and historic shopfronts.
Can I get it for routine maintenance?
Yes. The scheme includes a ‘micro’ grant stream for works of routine maintenance and minor repairs, which is newer and much less well known than the main scheme.
Who do I apply to?
Your local authority. The fund is administered through local authorities rather than centrally, so the first call is your county council's heritage or conservation officer.
I was told to apply to the Historic Structures Fund for my shopfront.
That advice is out of date. The vernacular buildings and historic shopfront streams were previously part of the Historic Structures Fund and are now part of this scheme.