Vacant to Vibrant scheme

What is Vacant to Vibrant?

Our Vacant to Vibrant scheme aims to reduce vacancy, address dereliction and support local independent businesses in the city centre and across Belfast.

The scheme provides capital grants to incentivise and support property owners and potential occupiers in bringing vacant properties back into use in local neighbourhoods and the city centre. 

Who can apply to Vacant to Vibrant?

Applications are welcome from: 

• business start-ups
• independent retailers
• social enterprises
• cultural and voluntary organisations
• property owners seeking to transform their vacant property to support occupation.

The scheme is open to applications for vacant properties in:

• Belfast city centre
• areas outside the city centre.

Vacant to Vibrant grants

There are three levels of capital grants available:

• up to £2,500
• up to £15,000
• up to £25,000

The grant for a vacant property depends on the floor space and the lease length.

Funding can be used for:

• external capital works to façades to improve look and feel of local high streets, including shop frontage enhancements, signage, painting and lighting
• internal capital works to make a vacant property fit for purpose and support long-term occupation, including access improvements, upgrades to internal fixtures and fittings, furniture, and equipment required for occupier operations
• the diversification of a property’s unoccupied space to help existing businesses survive.

If a grant application is successful, the applicant must contribute a minimum of 10 per cent match funding. 

Vacant to Vibrant city centre

We are still accepting Vacant to Vibrant applications for vacant properties in Belfast city centre. We process applications on a first-come, first-served basis. This will continue until all available funding is fully allocated.

To date, we have approved 32 applicants for a Vacant to Vibrant grant in Belfast city centre. This has provided up to 125 direct employment opportunities and reanimated 21 historical buildings or buildings of interest. There were successful applications by:

• bakeries
• gyms
• charities
• art galleries
• hairdressing salons
• tattoo galleries.

These applicants restored vacant properties and transformed the spaces into new premises for their businesses, bringing diversity and vibrancy to Belfast city centre.

Vacant to Vibrant citywide

Following the success of our scheme in Belfast city centre, we have secured £500,000 of capital funding from the Department for Communities and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to extend our scheme to areas outside the city centre.

Capital grants will be available to properties and businesses located within our boundary, making our high streets and surrounding neighbourhoods more vibrant, diverse and welcoming. 

We will award grants on a first-come, first-served basis. We will prioritise properties with significant frontage in urban centres and along arterial routes. Applications are open until all the funding has been awarded.

Applying for a Vacant to Vibrant grant

If you are interested in applying for a Vacant to Vibrant grant in the city centre or citywide, email [email protected]. We will provide an application pack, guidance notes and a checklist. We can also advise on:

• eligibility criteria
• eligible and ineligible costs
• how grants are prioritised
• how to apply as a property owner, a business or an organisation
• how to find a suitable property, including our matchmaker service with Frazer Kidd
• timescales for funding decisions and grant allocations
• other wraparound support available, including help with writing a business plan and other advice provided by the council. 

We can provide advice by email, phone, video call or in-person.

Vacant to Vibrant case studies

Watch this two-minute, 22-second video to hear about how the Vacant to Vibrant capital grant scheme supported Verona Bridal to relocate to property that was previously vacant in Belfast city centre.

Watch this one-minute, 16-seconds long video about how Vacant to Vibrant funding is helping to restore Tedford’s Sail Loft Warehouse.