Services » Strategic Planning & Economic Development

Grants Schemes in Cork City

Grants Offered This Year

Current grant schemes contributing to the protection and enhancement of Cork's Built and Natural Heritage being administered by the Planning Policy team are listed below.   

• Structures at Risk Fund
• Architectural Conservation Area Grant Scheme
• Painting & Building Improvement Grant Schemes
• Heritage Local Grants
• Built Heritage Investment Scheme

Tax Incentives Schemes

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Cork City Council is hosting an information event for the Living City Initiative - an ‘urban regeneration’ tax incentive scheme for residential and commercial properties within designated Special Regeneration Areas of Cork City.  The event is being organised by the Planning Policy Section of Cork City Council for property owners and practitioners from the property and building sectors.  The event will be held on Wed 24^thMay 2017 from 6.30 - 8.30pm in the Imperial Hotel, South Mall, Cork.  

Speakers include:

Thomas Watt, Senior Executive Planner, Cork City Council  - General outline, scheme changes and how it works

Carla Manning, CPA, CTAX  - Information about the tax benefits with working examples

Pat Ruane, Conservation Officer, Cork City Council   - For advice on architecture & conservation matters

followed by a Q&A session.

Capacity is limited to 100 people. If interested in attending, please RSVP to gwen_jordan@corkcity.ie to register for this free event.

Please click on the links to access the information leaflets  

Living City Initiative Information Leaflet Part 1

Living City Initiative Information Leaflet Part 2

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‌Living City Initiative

The Living City Initiative is a tax incentive scheme focusing on the regeneration of designated Special Regeneration Areas of Cork City, to encourage people to live in the historic area of the city and regenerate residential and commercial buildings. These areas have been designated by Order of the Minister for Finance. The scheme provides for tax relief for qualifying expenditure incurred on both residential and certain commercial refurbishment and conversion work that is carried out during the qualifying period.  It does not apply to "new build".  There are 3 types of tax relief available under the Living City Initiative –

1. An owner/occupier residential element,
2. A rented residential element, and
3. A retail/commercial element (owner-occupier and lessor).

The owner/occupier residential and retail/commercial elements of the scheme commenced on 5 May 2015 and the rented residential element commenced on 1 January 2017. All three elements will terminate on 4 May 2020. In order to qualify for the tax relief, the expenditure on refurbishment or conversion must be incurred within the appropriate period as set out above.  

Full details of the scheme can be found here: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/living-city-initiative.html

Examples of how the scheme can work

The following examples of how the scheme may apply to you can be found on the Revenues website (31/01/2017):

• Example 1: Owner/Occupier Residential Relief
• Example 2: Refurbished/Converted Property Acquired from a Builder
• Example 3: Owner/Occupier Residential Use of Property
• Example 4: Rented Residential Relief

Further Information

Cork City Council assesses and certifies the residential element of the scheme.  Applications on commercial properties are assessed and certified directly by Revenue. Full details of the scheme can be found here: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/living-city-initiative.html

Cork City Council can advise if the location of the property and the nature of the works meet the criteria of the scheme.  To check if a property in located within the designated Special Regeneration Areas of Cork City, please use the following maps:

• Special Regeneration Areas of Cork City
• Interactive Public Viewer Map with additional Built Heritage information
• Living City Initiative Residential Application Form

For queries email livingcity@corkcity.ie

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