Laois County Council

Tag: Architecture

  • Funding announced for Conservation of Laois historic buildings

    Funding announced for Conservation of Laois historic buildings

    Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, today (Thursday 1 April) announced that 477 heritage projects across every county in the country will benefit from a total of €3m under this year’s Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

    Of this fund €72,000 has been allocated to 12 projects in Laois, ranging from small thatched houses to larger country houses.

    Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, welcomed the announcement saying “In addition to supporting owners of historic buildings in looking after their properties, this funding will also provide a welcome boost to local construction and heritage trades by facilitating works with a total value of over €15.5m and creating jobs estiated at 19,000 days’ labour. Laois County Council is delighted to be able to participate in the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, providing a link between the Department and owners on the ground and getting this funding out to Laois Communities”.

    Thatched house near Emo rethatched under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme in 2020

    The BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in association with the 31 Local Authorities. Through grants of up to €15,000, the BHIS assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties. The scheme is not limited to private dwellings and also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage.
    Also included under the BHIS 2021 is a continuation of a micro-grant stream introduced in 2020 to increase the resilience of historic structures to withstand the constant effects of climate change. This allows local authorities to make smaller awards to owners of historic properties to carry out routine maintenance to offset the impact of climate change on their buildings.

    Minister Noonan said: “I am delighted to announce €3m investment in our built heritage which will assist 477 owners and custodians of historic and protected structures right across the country as they carry out hundreds of small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and safeguard our built heritage. These awards will provide much-needed economic stimulus in all 31 local authority areas and will give employment to the many small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity. Not only will this €3m funding help sustain specialist heritage businesses while the market recovers, it is also an investment in this Government’s commitment under the Programme for Government to encourage traditional building skills.”

    Minister of State for Local Government, Peter Burke, TD, also welcomed the announcement, saying “the success of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme is testament to the close working relationship between the Department and the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff without whom these schemes would not exist. It is particularly pleasing to see this year’s BHIS fund so many projects in our towns, in line with this Government’s commitment to put Town Centres First.”

    Conservation work funded by the BHIS underway at St Paul’s French Church Portarlington in 2020

    Laois Projects funded this year are as follows:

    Projects Funding Allocated
    House, Stradbally, Co. Laois €8,500.00
    Thatch Durrow, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Fisherstown, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Rathleague, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Clonaghadooo, Co. Laois €6,000.00
    St Paul’s French Church Portarlington, Co. Laois €4,000.00
    Thatch Jamestown, Co. Laois €3,500.00
     House Mountmellick, Co. Laois €10,000.00
    Thatch Ballybodin, Co. Laois €1,000.00
    Thatch Graigue, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Thatch Ballacolla, Co. Laois €7,000.00
    Forum Mountmellick, Co. Laois €4,000.00
      €72,000.00

     

     

    Details of awards granted under the Department’s other built heritage scheme, the Historic Structures Fund, will be announced following their assessment in the coming weeks.

    The list of all grantees nationally under the 2021 BHIS can be found here.

  • Grants for Conservation of historic properties in Laois

    Grants for Conservation of historic properties in Laois

    Funding has been announced for the conservation of protected structures in Laois, and nationally. Two schemes, administered by Laois County Council on behalf of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs will bring almost €150,000 in funding to 15 properties right across the county. A wide range of building types in Laois will benefit from funding this year, including thatched houses, old mills, churches, modest homes, and large country houses. Typical works to be funded under the scheme include roof repairs, structural consolidation and measures to ensure weather tightness.

     

    Map showing the distribution of grants under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (Green) and Structures at Risk Fund (red) in Laois. Courtesy of Google maps.

    Welcoming the funding announcement, John Mulholland, Chief Executive of Laois County Council said “Laois County Council is delighted to be involved in running these schemes, which bring a significant benefit to both the building owners, and the heritage of the county. This funding is also important as a support the construction sector in the region, particularly the specialist conservation skills involved in maintaining and repairing these buildings. I am particularly pleased to see funding allocated to two prominent buildings in the historic core of Portlaoise, which was the focus of the recently published Vision Statement. Building on the medieval core of the town will be an important element of developing a vibrant future for Portlaoise”.

    St Peter’s Church of Ireland in Portlaoise benefitted from the Structures at Risk Fund in 2016 and has been awarded funding in 2017 to repair the historic boundary wall of the church.

    Details of funding for Laois are below:

    Grant allocations 2017 Laois – Built Heritage Investment Scheme

    Grant allocations 2017 Laois – Structures at Risk Fund

    At national level, €3.5 million is being made available under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and €1.3 million is being made available under the Structures at Risk Fund to allow for the conservation and repair of protected structures across the country. Minister Heather Humphreys said: “This investment will support the conservation of our heritage buildings and jobs in the conservation sector right across the country. The €4.8 million investment will leverage a further €11 million in private sector funds and will stimulate labour-intensive projects nationwide. 

    “Ireland’s heritage buildings and protected structures are a vital part of the infrastructure of our villages, towns, and cities. The Action Plan for Rural Development recognises the importance of investing in built heritage as a tool for rural regeneration and the economic recovery is allowing me to increase the level of funding available. Investing in our built heritage is not just good for the individual properties concerned, but can also provide a real boost to job creation in the construction, conservation and tourism sectors “.

    Details of projects funded nationally under each scheme are at the website of the Department for Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs.