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Conservation Grants

Historic Thatched Buildings Grants 2025 / Applications Now Open

The Historic Thatched Buildings Grant – HTB / BHIS (part of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme – BHIS) is now open for applications for grant funding for works to the eligible structures as listed below. Guidance on making an application, and the application form can be downloaded below.

HTB / BHIS applications must be submitted to conservationofficer@galwaycoco.ie by Friday the 3rd of January 2025. It is recommended that applicants get in touch with the Architectural Conservation Officer before this date via conservationoffcer@galwaycoco.ie, as it will not be possible to clarify / adjust submitted applications after this date.

Eligible Structures

Any historic thatched structure, including domestic or commercial properties. Structures or works within Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs), or within the amenity of a National Monument, where exceptional circumstances apply.

Eligible works

Primary qualifying works are thatching works to the roof and any necessary work that must be completed as part of these works, such as chimney repairs.

About the Historic Thatched Buildings Grant – HTB / BHIS

The purpose of the scheme is to protect the heritage value of historic thatched roof buildings across Ireland, including dwellings and other structures. The Historic Thatched Buildings Grant is part of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme – BHIS.

The HTB / BHIS is administered by the Architectural Conservation Section of Galway County Council on behalf of Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Applications in respect of an individual structure can be made to both the HTB/BHIS and the HSF, but funding may only be awarded from one scheme in any one year.

Who can apply:

Owners and occupiers of historic thatched buildings, refer to section 3.1 of the downloadable guidance document below.

Preparing an Application:

The application form and guidance for applicants is provided below.

Applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these documents.

Applications must include all the required documentation listed below:

Completed Application Form A
Comprehensive Method Statement for the Works (refer to guidance for further information on the content of a method statement)
Letter from thatcher (confirming the actual dates that the thatching works are programmed to be carried out and completed before mid October 2025)
Application Checklist

Incomplete applications will not be accepted after the deadline listed below.

Works carried out under the HTB must meet all statutory requirements including the need for planning permission. Where works are proposed to sites/monuments protected under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004, the statutory requirements for notification or for Ministerial consent under those Acts must be complied with.

If you require further information, clarification, or guidance on preparing an application, or confirmation if your structure is Protected, a proposed protected structure, or in an ACA, please contact Ann Marie Cusack, Executive Architectural Conservation Officer at Galway County Council via conservationofficer@galwaycoco.ie or 091 509308.

Submitting an Application

Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5PM, FRIDAY the 3^rd OF JANUARY 2025 to conservationofficer@galwaycoco.ie

Amount of Funding Available

Up to 80% of the total cost of the works, with a maximum grant of €20,000. Please note that in many cases the funding awarded will be considerably lower than 80%.

Timeframe to Complete the Works

Successful applications will receive notification of provisional funding awarded in February 2025, with works to be completed by October 2025.

Application Documents

The 2025 HTB / BHIS Circular Guidance Booklet, Application Form, and Checklist are available to download below.

HTB-BHIS 2025 - Application Form A

HTB-BHIS 2025 - Application Form A Checklist

HTB-BHIS 2025 - Guidance Circular

Historic Structures Fund 2025 / Applications Now Open

The Historic Structures Fund (HSF) is now open for applications for grant funding for works to the eligible structures as listed below. Guidance on making an application, and the application form can be downloaded below.

HSF applications must be submitted to conservationofficer@galwaycoco.ie by 5pm on Friday the 3^rd of January 2025.

Eligible Structures

Protected Structures in the Galway County Record of Protected Structures (RPS).

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.

Ineligible works

Please refer to the Circular below for a list of works which will not be eligible for grant funding.

About the Historic Structures Fund

The HSF runs alongside the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) which invests in smaller scale conservation works. The HSF is focussed on larger scale conservation works. The HSF is administered by the Architectural Conservation Section of Galway County Council on behalf of Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

Applications in respect of an individual structure can be made to both the BHIS and the HSF, but funding may only be awarded from one scheme in any one year.

The core aims of this fund are to:

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.

Who can apply?

Private applicants who are the owners or custodians of the eligible structures listed above.

The Local Authority can apply for works to eligible structures in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated.

Preparing an Application

The application form and guidance for applicants is provided below. Applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these documents.

Applications must include all the required documentation listed below:

Completed Application Form A
Comprehensive Method Statement for the Works (refer to guidance for further information on the content of a method statement)
Application Checklist

Incomplete applications will not be accepted after the deadline listed below.

Works carried out under the HSF must meet all statutory requirements including the need for planning permission. Where works are proposed to sites/monuments protected under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004, the statutory requirements for notification or for Ministerial consent under those Acts must be complied with.

Submitting an Application

Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5PM, FRIDAY the 3rd OF JANUARY 2025 to conservationofficer@galwaycoco.ie

Amount of Funding Available

Grants between €50,000 and €200,000, (or in exceptional circumstances over €200,000).

50% of eligible costs can be sought. In exceptional circumstances a higher percentage may be sought, subject to a maximum of 80% of eligible costs.

Timeframe to Complete the Works

Successful applications will receive notification of provisional funding awarded in early 2025, with works to be completed by mid-October 2025. Please note however that grants may be phased over two years where requested.

Works Previously Awarded Funding

A wide variety of works have been awarded funding over the previous years of the HSF in Galway County. These include works to roofs (including thatch), windows (including the installation of new windows), doors, internal plasterwork, wall repairs, external rendering and more. All works have been carried out to best conservation practice to ensure that the structures are enhanced and protected.

Applicants are encouraged to review the list of qualifying and non-qualifying works / structures as listed in guidance circular below.

Planning Your Works

The HSF aims to promote best conservation building practices and principles. It is important to consider the below principles when preparing your application. A clear scope of works and method statement which reflects these principles will strengthen an application and help ensure that the most suitable and sensitive works are undertaken.

Research and Analysis – An understanding of the structure from a historical perspective to its current condition.

Use Expert Advice – The HSF requires that a conservation professional, or where applicable, a skilled tradesperson informs, and undertakes the work.

Protect the Special Interest – Special interest can be both tangible and intangible, in this sense it can relate to its physical character, its function or its relationship to a person, group, or community. In many cases protected structures, or structures in ACAs have both tangible and intangible special interest. Special Interest underlines why a structure or group of structures should be protected and includes Artistic, Archaeological, Architectural, Cultural, Historical, Social, Scientific, and Technical. If you are an owner / occupier of a Protected Structure or a structure within an ACA, a special interest category will have been assigned to the structure or area.

Minimum Intervention – Do as much as necessary and as little as possible. This approach is both good conservation practice and value for money.

Respect Earlier Alterations – All structures undergo change over the decades and centuries, it is important to understand and respect changes which enhance the special interest of the structure.

Repair Rather than Replace – The historic material of a structure is not replaceable, when it is gone it is gone. All efforts should therefore be to retain as much historic material when undertaking works to a protected structure or structure in an ACA.

Honesty of Repairs and Alteration – New works undertaken, where appropriate, should be subtly discernible from historic materials / elements.

Appropriate Materials and Methods – Proposed works must be compatible with the material and detailing of the historic structure. Materials / methods tried and tested by time are encouraged. The use of new modern materials and techniques should be approached with caution, with their appropriateness supported by firm scientific evidence.

Reversibility – Preferably and where appropriate, it should be possible to remove, or undo works without significant impact on the historic structure.

Incremental Damage – Works that appear to have a small impact on a historic structure, can over time, when added to other small works undertaken have a cumulative, significant, and permanent impact on a historic structure.

Discourage Architectural Salvage – the use of materials from other buildings should not be utilised unless the required materials are no longer in production, the source of material can be ascertained, and the material was removed legally.

Application and Guidance Documents Downloads

The 2025 HSF Circular Guidance Booklet, Application Form, and Checklist are available to download below.

Historic Structures Fund 2025 - Guidance Circular

Historic Structures Fund 2025 - Form A

Historic Structures Fund 2025 - Application Checklist

Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2025

On 26 July 2024, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan announced funding for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2025. This announcement is approximately four months earlier than the traditional timeframe and, along with an increase in the value for individual grants that be awarded from €15,000 to €50,000, is one of several changes that have been made to the scheme for 2025 to try to make it more efficient both for applicants and those administering the scheme.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2025 (BHIS) is for the repair and conservation of structures that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts.

This scheme aims to support:

a significant number of projects across the country
the employment of skilled and experienced conservation professionals, craftspeople and tradespersons in the repair of the historic built environment

Grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 are available.

This year’s scheme has also incorporated streams for vernacular buildings and historic shopfronts, which were previously part of the Historic Structures Fund.

The department will also continue to run the ‘micro’ grant stream introduced in 2020 for works of routine maintenance and minor repairs.