BHIS 2025

Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2025

Please note that there have been a number of significant changes to the BHIS from previous schemes. 

About the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2025

Ireland’s historic buildings contribute to the vitality of our cities, towns, villages and countryside, while instilling a sense of pride of place. The historic built environment makes a significant contribution to economic prosperity by attracting investment and tourism, providing direct and indirect employment. Our built heritage can also make a vital contribution to the regeneration of urban and rural areas, and their conservation can contribute to the national effort to reduce our carbon emissions.

The primary custodians of structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts are their owners and occupiers. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS for short) is a Government grant scheme using funding from the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) to help support the care and conservation of those buildings. Applicants can apply to Longford County Council under this scheme for qualifying structures in the county. 

The scheme runs alongside the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) which enables larger scale conservation works to be carried out on heritage structures. The Historic Structures Fund for 2025 will be announced towards the end of 2024. 

Who may apply?

The BHIS provides funding for repair/conservation works to the following types of qualifying structures:

1. Protected structures that are listed on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) in Appendix Six of the Longford County Development Plan 2021-2027. Please note that the RPS number for your building may have changed recently, please visit sheet 165 of the link PDF to see the current numbers. 
2. Proposed protected structures, added to the RPS before 31 December 2025.
3. Structures within the boundaries of an Architectural Conservation Area (ACAs).
   • The Battery Road ACA (see sheet 159 of the linked PDF) and
   • The Ardagh Village ACA (see sheet 163 of the linked PDF).
4. Vernacular buildings - buildings and built features which were built by ‘ordinary’ people, as distinct from trained professionals, using traditional methods and local materials. 
5. Historic shopfronts

If you are unclear whether your structure is eligible under this scheme, you may contact the Heritage Officer at heritage@longfordcoco.ie. The RPS includes the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) registration number which should be included in the application form. Further information can be found at buildingsofireland.ie. 

Qualifying and non-qualifying works

Some of the qualifying works under the scheme include: 

• Structural stability and roofs
• Rainwater disposal
• External walls and joinery
• Stained glass
• Interior repairs
• Certain energy efficiency improvements
• Professional fees

Some of the non-qualifying works under the scheme include alterations, demolition, restoration, maintenance and pre-existing works. 

A full list is available to download by clicking here. 

Amounts available and match funding

Funding is available of up to 80% of the cost of doing approved work- this means you will need to fund a minimum 20% of the project cost yourself. The funding awarded for successful projects will be between €2,500 and a maximum of €50,000 (€30,000 in the case of a vernacular building that is not on the RPS).

The total value of all public funding provided for individual projects must not exceed 80% of the total project cost, which includes other grant supports, such as the the Department of Housing Thatching Grant, the Rural Development Programme or other funding schemes.

The level of grant support will be determined on a case-by-case basis. This will be based on the available funding and the assessment of applications, therefore the actual awards may be significantly below the upper limits listed above. While Longford County Council will endeavour to give as much support as possible, it cannot guarantee that all applications will be successful. 

How to apply

• Before completing your application, you must read the Built Heritage Investment Scheme Guidance Booklet for Applicants
• You may also read the BHIS 2025 Departmental Circular here
• Complete and sign the Application form A
• Complete, but do not sign, the first section of the Applicant Checklist
• Include maps, photographs, costings and method statement completed by an architect/ engineer/ conservation advisor or suitable contractor. Guidelines as to what should be included in the method statement is outlined in the Guidance Booklet. 
• Email your completed application form, application checklist and supporting documents to heritage@longfordcoco.ie by Friday, 27 September 2024. The subject line of your email should include: 'BHIS 2025' and the name of the structure. Please do not send in printed applications or send to other email addresses as they not be seen by the assessment committee.  

To help with your application, you can take a look a sample application form from a previous BHIS.

Successful applicants will be notified January 2025. Grant-aided works should not start before this time.

The works must start before August 2025 and be completed by the second week of October 2025.