Historic Building Grants Scheme guidance

Historic Building Grant application form

Funding is available through the Historic Buildings Grant Scheme from East Suffolk Council for building owners to maintain and improve historic windows and doors in their properties. This is a competitive scheme, first-come first-serve, aiming to provide grants to building owners in order to help prevent the loss of historic windows and doors. This scheme will support the Council’s Article 4 direction projects, which aim to further the preservation of the historic character and appearance of the district’s Conservation Areas.

As this is a pilot scheme, this funding is available only for certain eligible properties in Conservation Areas that are covered by Article 4 directions. There are currently Article 4 directions in the following Conservation Areas: Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Holton, Homersfield, North Lowestoft, Somerleyton, South Lowestoft/Kirkley, Southwold, Walberswick Quay, Wangford, Wissett and Wrentham. For more information on Article 4 directions, or to find out if your property is in an Article 4 direction, please use the following links:

Grant offers may be up to 50% of total costs, up to £1500. The aim of the scheme is to encourage the preservation of historic windows and doors in situ, therefore any proposals for the replacement of windows and doors will not be considered eligible.

Eligibility

  • Property must be in an Article 4 Direction Area – may be listed or unlisted.
  • Residential properties only – Houses or flats.
  • Unlisted properties must be identified as ‘Positive Unlisted Buildings’ in a Conservation Area. These properties are described and marked on mapping in the Conservation Area Appraisals. Check to see if your property is a Positive Unlisted Building on the Conservation Area Appraisal maps here: Article 4 Listed and Positive Unlisted Buildings » East Suffolk Council
  • Windows and doors must be on a relevant elevation (facing a highway, waterway or open space)
  • Repairs or maintenance only (see below)

Eligible works

Extent of repairs: 50% or less to be new fabric. All works must be like-for-like in materials and detailing.

Repairs

  • Draughtproofing
  • Re-fitting
  • Sash cord repairs
  • Glazing repairs
  • Re-leading
  • Joinery repairs
  • Sill repairs
  • Ironmongery repairs
  • Door- and window-head repairs
  • Threshold repairs
  • Cleaning and repainting (if associated with repairs)

Works not eligible

  • Replacement windows or doors
  • Works that would require listed building consent or planning permission
  • Installation of double glazing
  • Installation of secondary glazing
  • Inappropriate materials, detailing or construction/techniques

Suitable photographs of the building(s) are required before the works begin and after the work has been completed. At least one quotation/tender and a supporting specification must be supplied with the application.

The applicant will need to ensure they have sufficient insurance cover for the works to be carried out and the contractor will also require adequate insurance cover. Copies of insurance documents may be required upon request.

Once the application form and quotation has been approved in writing and official acceptance of the grant is given, work can be carried out. Work should not start until written approval is given, or you will not be eligible for a grant.

Owners may want to undertake improvement works at the same time as repairs to historic windows and doors. Eligible and non-eligible work can be undertaken in the same project, but the costs must be identified separately and made explicit in agreed schedules of works and tender documents.

Grants are paid in arrears: the applicant will be required to pay for the work upfront and submit a paid invoice(s) to East Suffolk Council, along with corresponding bank statements for reimbursement. Applicants shall not apply for more than two grants within a two-year period. Grants are offered at the discretion of Officers at East Suffolk Council. Applications will have regard for previous grants offered and remaining funds available. East Suffolk Council is under no obligation to award funding for any applications submitted.

Information requirements

You will be asked to provide full details of the proposed works including:

  • a full specification of works
  • photographs of relevant elevations and close-up photographs of windows and doors, including historic images where possible.
  • a quotation with costings against a common schedule of works.
  • proof of ownership of the property.

Grant acceptance

If the project is approved, East Suffolk Council’s Funding Team will process the paperwork and send out a Grant Acceptance. You will need to accept the offer within one month. You will be required to agree to terms and conditions detailed within the Grant Agreement. An offer of a grant and the formal acceptance of that offer constitute a legal contract between you and East Suffolk Council.

If you are offered funding and you sign a Grant Acceptance, the grant work must commence within 6 months of the grant award date unless otherwise agreed, and completed within 12 months of the grant award date.

Grant payments

The work should be paid for upfront by the applicant, and the grant can then be claimed back on receipt of an invoice, corresponding bank statements, and following assessment of a completion report. If there is an overspend on the grant-aided work, the grant will not be increased. If the total cost of grant-aided works is less than indicated in your application, the amount of grant funding will be reduced in line with your approved grant rate. The grant payment will be withheld until the Council is satisfied that all works have been completed to the required standard.

Starting the work

Once the Grant Acceptance has been signed, work must commence within 6 months and complete after 12 months from the date of the Grant Acceptance. Work must not start until written approval is given. The project will be periodically monitored to ensure work is progressing satisfactorily and that the Grant Acceptance is being adhered to.

Subsidy Control (applications on behalf of a business)

Please be aware that applicants are expected to complete the subsidy declaration within the application form for the scheme if you are applying on behalf of a business.

The EU State aid rules no longer apply to subsidies granted in the UK following the end of the transition period, which ended on 31 December 2020. This does not impact the limited circumstances in which State aid rules still apply under the Withdrawal Agreement, specifically Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The United Kingdom remains bound by its international commitments, including subsidy obligations set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the EU.

East Suffolk Council will be providing this grant to the business / organisation as a Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) subsidy under the Subsidy Control Act (2022). MFA subsidy limit is £315,000 over a three-year period (including your current financial year and the previous two financial years).

For more information on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund subsidy control please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-subsidy-control-7 

Publicity

East Suffolk Council reserve the right to use photographs and details of your project in promotional literature and use on East Suffolk Council’s social media accounts.

Monitoring

A project completion report, supplied by East Suffolk Council, will need to be completed and returned after the project has ended.

Contact details

For general enquiries about the grant scheme, please contact the Design and Heritage Team via heritage@eastsuffolk.gov.uk