Historic Buildings Grant-Aid Scheme Details Built Heritage Directorate NIEA

1. Historic Buildings Grant-Aid Scheme Details Built Heritage DirectorateNIEA

2. GRANT-AID - AVAILABILITY • Non ecclesiastical buildings   Grade A 35% Grade B+ 35% Grade B1 35% Grade B2 35% • Ecclesiastical buildings   Grade A35% Grade B+ 35% Grade B none ( Review underway)

3. Thatch buildings 75% for eligible items pertaining to thatch and roof structures only • Enhanced grant 90% - Income Support Income based Jobseekers Allowance Guaranteed Pension Credit • Reasonable professional fees 75%

4. Applicants who are not eligible for grant aid • Under the scheme the following owner categories are not eligible for grant assistance from NIEA. • Government/Public Bodies; • Housing Associations; • Large Commercial Organisations.  For grant purposes this will also apply to listed buildings owned by Financial Institutions (such as banks, building societies, insurance companies etc.)

5. A major aim of the scheme is to help retain the special interest of listed buildings. • NIEA will expect schemes to follow the four recognised international conservation principles - and the (equally) important principle of sustainable development - as follows:

6. Minimum Intervention Only undertaking work which is essential. Maximum Retention of Fabric Work should aim to keep as much historic material as possible Reversibility Interventions should be capable of being reversed in the future where possible. Clarity It should be possible to distinguish new work from old. Sustainability Any change supports a sustainable future for the structure.

7. What elements of work does NIEA grant aid? Normally the elements of work will be:   roofs and chimneys, external walls, windows and doors damp-proofing and timber treatment floors joinery plasterwork land drainage (around the property only)

8. The approach we take to any grant scheme. • The following sequence will be undertaken in regard to a grant application:- • Advice. If you are considering undertaking a scheme of work - one of our administrative grant-aid team will be happy to advise you on the process. • Grant Application Pack. This can be downloaded from our website or sent out to you. • Consents. You should ensure that any relevant consents has been obtained.

9. Grant application Pack • Applicant’s details. • Ownership details • Do you require listed building consent / planning permission? • Give a brief summary of the works • Provide photographs / Reports • When do you expect to start the works • Lead Professional advisor – previous projects • How will project enhance the heritage value? • How will the works be maintained?

10. Grant application Pack • Please provide an estimated breakdown of costs of the project. • Please give details of the estimated costs of any professional advisers that you consider will need to be employed on your project. • Has the property ever been the subject of a grant application to NIEA or any other grant distributor? Please note that an estimate of priced schedule of works must be submitted with your application for Historic Building Grant Aid.

11. Listed Building and Planning Consent • Works which would affect the character of a listed • Building - Listed Building Consent must be obtained. • In many cases a separate application for Planning • Permission may also be required. • Listed Building Consent is not required before carrying out maintenance and repairs which do not affect your building’s character.

12. Details of the Lead Professional Advisor • Depending on the nature proposals, it may be necessary to appoint a professional advisor and in these instances, fees to cover this work may attract grant-aid. • Where minor like for like repairs on a limited scale are proposed (eg, splice repairs to sash windows), it may not be necessary to appoint a professional advisor, provided that the works are undertaken by a competent craftsperson.

13. Grant-aid application assessment. • Our area conservation architects and quantity surveyor will consider your proposal, and liaise with your advisors. The area conservation architect will visit your building and draw up a Schedule of Requirements (SoR). • This provides detailed information on ‘best conservation’ practice, and our required standards.

14. Schedule of Requirements – Example – Slating and Tiling: • Pin up slipped slates or tiles, replace any that are missing and reset ridges. • Strip carefully, setting aside all sound slates or tiles for reuse, make good any losses with matching second hand or new materials.  • Battens are to be treated with preservative. • Slating/tiling nails to be copper, aluminium alloy or silicon-bronze. • Replacement slates to be natural stone from an agreed source.

15. Procurement Requirements - tendering • For projects costing up to £5,000 - 2 quotations - brief specification • £5,000 and £25,000 - 3 comprehensive tenders - drawings and specifications • £25,000 and £250,000 Tender - in accordance with Single Stage Selective Tendering Procedures - working drawings, a full specification and a detailed schedule of works or Bills of Quantities. • More than £250,000 working drawings, a full specification and Bills of Quantities.

16. Letter of Offer. If your proposals are considered to meet the required standard, then we will require you to provide us with detailed costs, to allow a letter of offer to be calculated. This will be issued to you before work commences. You must not commence work until you have confirmed acceptance of our letter of offer; and a formal Approval to Start Work letter has issued from the Department.

17. Inspections • Our area conservation architects will visit your listed building while the work is underway • You will need to adhere to agreed specifications/SoR • Contact HBU if there difficulties on site

18. NGO FUNDING – NEW COMPONENT TO OUR GRANT-AID SCHEME • OVERALL AIM - Provision of more help to NGOs/BPTs seeking to address those listed buildings at risk from deterioration and collapse as listed on the BHARNI (Built Heritage at Risk Northern Ireland) database - in particular to help reduce the number of listed buildings on the Register.

19. Please contact us - we can help with your queries