A scheme to allow people to avail of expert advice in restoring and maintaining traditional houses is now open for applications.

The Conservation Advice Scheme for Traditional Houses offers grants of up to €5,000, and can be used to pay for expert reports into conservation, fire safety and energy upgrades.

The scheme can apply to buildings in rural townlands, as well as vernacular farmhouses.

According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the scheme has been newly-expanded.

The purpose of the scheme is to help owners of traditional houses to obtain conservation advice by funding up to 67% (€5,000) of the cost of a specialist report.

Several types of buildings can benefit from this scheme, including protected structures and traditional homes in architectural conservation areas, as well as traditional farmhouses with no statutory protection.

The department said that, given their age and methods of construction, 'traditional' properties often require specialist advice or intervention when undertaking conservation, energy upgrades or fire safety alternations.

The scope of the scheme has previously been limited to vacant traditional homes, but several elements of the scheme have now been revised in order to widen eligibility and uptake, the department said.

The scheme is now available to owners of buildings that they already occupy and is no longer limited to vacant homes.

As well as that, funding may now be granted for fire safety reports in cases where traditional buildings are to be converted into multi-occupancy dwellings ‘above the shop’.

People availing of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Traditional Homes Pilot may now apply for funding to help cover the cost of a pre-work risk assessment, aimed at improving energy efficiency while maintaining historical integrity.

Buildings that qualify under the scheme are as follows:

Stream 1 is open to owners of traditional houses in villages, towns and cities where the building is a protected structure and/or a historic structure within an architectural conservation area;
Stream 2 is open to owners of traditional farmhouses where the building is a protected structure, and/or an historic farmhouse located within an architectural conservation area, and/or a vernacular farmhouse which has no statutory protection.

Applications to the scheme must be submitted by 5:00p.m on May 8. Application details can be found on the Department of Housing's website.

Announcing the opening the scheme, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: "We are expanding this scheme so that more owners of older and traditional buildings can avail of expert advice in the conservation of their home.

"A lot of these homes could really benefit from direct intervention from skilled, experienced tradespeople and we want people to be able to just go ahead with the work that’s needed and, where this fund can assist, we want it getting out to people quickly," the minister added.

"This is another support that, along with the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, can help people to bring older properties back into use as comfortable homes, while respecting their heritage and historic features," Minister Browne said.