Services

Painting Grant Schemes

Introduction

Cork City Council actively supports the urban renewal of Cork City and continued investment in its built fabric. The Painting Grant Scheme is one way in which it does this and the grant scheme aims to support and encourage communities to invest in buildings to enhance the character and appearance of areas and to reinforce local pride in the area for residents, businesses and visitors. The City Council has run very successful painting grant schemes in South Parish in 2010, Blackpool in 2005-2006 and 2003, and Shandon in 2002 [see below].

Please note: Funding for each scheme is limited and therefore in order to obtain the maximum benefit for the scheme in the event that the scheme is over-subscribed, the following may be undertaken:

·Applications will be prioritised on the basis of the benefits of each painting project. In other words, the greater the benefit of repainting the building to the visual  appearance of the area the more likely they will be offered grant funding support towards the cost of the works; and

·Grant amounts may be reduced below the maximum amount and maximum percentage available for each scheme.

Grants are aimed primarily at supporting the facelift of the elevations of buildings visible from the street [i.e. the front elevations], including the painting of masonry, shopfronts, windows and doors. The painting of other elements, such as boundary walls, railings, gates and other features will be considered on their merits. Good preparation before painting is essential to ensure that the investment is worthwhile.

2012 Shandon Street & North Main Street ACA Painting Scheme

Cork City Council is funding a scheme of painting grants for Shandon Street and the North Main Street ACA area.  The area in which properties are considered for eligibility includes Shandon Street, North Main Street, South Main Street, Castle Street and Kyle Street amongst others.  The date for receipt of applications is Friday, 27th April and qualifying applicants will have until Friday, 31st August to submit a payment claim to the Council under the Scheme.

Details of the Shandon Street & North Main Street ACA Painting Scheme

Please note there is also an Architectural Conservation Grant Area Scheme 2012 available for the repair of buildings for the above areas as well as the Blackpool ACA area, for further information see the below links:

2011 North Main Street ACA and Cornmarket Street Painting Scheme

Cork City Council is funding a scheme of painting grants for the North Main Street ACA and Cornmarket Street area. The area in which properties are considered for eligibility includes North Main Street, South Main Street, Castle Street and Cornmarket Street. The closing date for receipt of application is 7th September 2011 and qualifying applicants will have until the 11th November 2011 to submit a payment claim to the Council under the Scheme.

Details of the North Main Street ACA and Cornmarket Street Painting Scheme

2010 South Parish Painting Grant Scheme

Cork City Council funded a scheme of painting grants for the South Parish Area as part of the adopted South Parish Area Action Plan.  The areas included in the scheme included Barrack Street, Douglas Street, Georges Quay and Sullivan's Quay. A total of 35 applications were received. 26 of these qualified under the scheme.  

Details of the South Parish Scheme 2010 

2009 Blackpool Painting Grant Scheme

In March 2009, a painting grant scheme for Blackpool Village was launched.   Cork City Council and the RAPID Programme jointly funded the scheme which provided 75% of the total cost of external painting works up to a maximum of €300 for residential properties and 50% of the cost for commercial properties up to a maximum of €500.  

The scheme was very actively promoted through door to door leaflet drops by the Community Warden; the placing of several posters in prominent businesses in the location; making brochures available at City Hall planning counter and other Blackpool Village businesses for distribution; advertising in 3 papers; and also through the use of the City Council’s own website.  Initially a total of 52 applications within the designated area were received by the closing date.  

Funding was available on a first come, first serve basis to cover the first 30 applications.  The success of the scheme was in no small part due to the very active participation of the local population.   

Details of the Blackpool Scheme 2009

2005-2006 Blackpool Painting Grant Scheme

The Blackpool Painting Scheme was advertised on the 26th July 2005.  Enquiries were received from residents located in streets outside those designated under the initial scheme and, as a result the scope of the scheme was reconsidered to include three more streets. This allowed O’ Connell Place, O’ Connell Street and Foley’s Row to be considered along with the initial designated streets of Dublin Hill (1 – 12), Dublin Street, Thomas Davis Street, and Watercourse Road. A total of 37 applications were received.  The Council was in a position to support funding for 20 of these applications.  

2003 Shandon Painting Grant Scheme

The Painting Grants Scheme was part of a wider programme of works within the Shandon Action Plan. This Scheme encouraged property owners to improve the external appearance of their buildings by providing up to €200 towards the cost of paint-work per building. The Council will also provide advice on the most appropriate treatment of facades to include the colour and the treatment of details, etc.  The Scheme was launched in June, 2003 and ran until December 2005.  The streets designated included Dominick Street, Shandon Street, Church Street, Cathedral Avenue, Hill Lane, Popes Quay, Chapel Street etc.  

Many enquiries were received from residents located in streets outside those designated under the Scheme and as a result, scope of designation of the scheme was reconsidered.   Under the revised scheme the following streets were designated for Painting Grants.  A total of 62 applicants were received of which funds were available to facilitate 39.