Can a limited company apply for the Vacant Above the Shop Grant?

The current published scheme says registered companies are not eligible. Qualifying named owners, including eligible sole traders, may apply subject to the full conditions.

Can the ground-floor shop be converted to housing too?

Not under this specific grant route. The published condition is that the ground-floor commercial premises remains in use while vacant upper floors are converted.

Is planning permission always required?

That is property-specific. Obtain written planning advice and the relevant professional input before assuming an exemption or starting work.

Can WEPRO provide the architect or fire certification?

WEPRO can coordinate the construction scope with appointed professionals, but each architect, engineer, fire consultant or certifier remains independently responsible for their professional work.

Upper-floor homes over active commercial premises

Vacant Above the Shop Renovations Ireland

Renovation planning and delivery for qualifying vacant accommodation above a shop or other active ground-floor commercial premises.

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Property site brief

Building: Vacant upper floor over continuing commercial use
Early checks: Access, fire safety, planning and building control
Output: Professional-check plan and itemised renovation scope
Decision maker: Local authority and relevant statutory bodies

Renovation scope

A residential conversion needs more than a fit-out quote

Vacant space above a shop can be valuable housing, but access, fire separation, escape, services, planning and building-control duties can decide whether a proposal works. WEPRO develops the renovation scope around the required professional design and statutory decisions rather than pricing over them.

Existing-space review

Initial review of access, layout, visible condition, services and the intended residential use.

Professional-check map

Planning, fire, accessibility, structural and building-control questions assigned to the relevant competent professional.

Itemised renovation scope

Construction work separated into clear packages for local-authority review and a written contractor proposal.

Managed delivery

Approved work can be coordinated with designers and registered trades under a separate construction contract.

Clear responsibility boundaries

These boundaries keep the contractor scope accurate and prevent a renovation service from being mistaken for a statutory, legal or property-purchase decision.

Owner remains the applicant

The named owner or eligible sole trader signs the application and supplies ownership and vacancy evidence.

Commercial use must continue

The specific Above the Shop scheme is designed for upper floors where the ground-floor commercial use remains.

Designers determine compliance

Architects, engineers, fire consultants and assigned certifiers provide opinions and certifications within their competence.

Approval is not automatic

A site review or quote cannot guarantee grant, planning, fire or building-control approval.

What to send for the first review

Property address, Eircode and proof of the current commercial use
Evidence that the upper floors have been vacant for at least two years
Existing floor plans, photographs and known planning history
Details of access, stairs, escape routes and existing services
Any architect, engineer, fire or planning advice already obtained
The number and proposed layout of residential units

A four-step decision path

1
Share the building
Send plans, photos, planning history and the current commercial use.
2
Professional feasibility
The owner commissions the appropriate planning, fire, structural and access advice.
3
Grant and design decisions
The relevant authority reviews eligibility and the statutory route before grant-funded work begins.
4
Scope and construction
Approved designs are translated into an itemised contractor scope and written build contract.

Official framework

Current Above the Shop framework checked 3 August 2026

Vacant Above the Shop Grant — gov.ie ↗Expert Advice Grant — gov.ie ↗Building control information — gov.ie ↗

The grant can reach €95,000 for one unit, €115,000 for two units and €135,000 for three or more units, subject to eligible expenditure and scheme approval.
The ground-floor commercial use must remain in place; this scheme is not a general full-building commercial-to-residential conversion grant.
Qualifying named owners, including eligible sole traders, may apply; registered companies are not eligible applicants under the published scheme.
A separate Expert Advice Grant of up to €5,000 may support qualifying professional feasibility advice, subject to its own terms.

Frequently asked questions

Request a property-specific quote

Send the Eircode, property link or photographs and the current stage. WEPRO will confirm whether the renovation scope is a fit and what should happen next.

WhatsApp Us Call 085 196 0967

Include your Eircode so travel and availability can be planned before a survey.