Key Points
- Glasgow City Council has launched a £1 million grant scheme aimed at bringing vacant listed buildings back into productive use across the city.
- The Heritage Building Viability Grant Scheme will be delivered by the Glasgow City Heritage Trust to support owners in overcoming capital viability gaps.
- Grant awards ranging between £15,000 and £350,000 are available for physical adaptation works, services, fire safety measures, internal finishes, and professional fees.
- Funding was allocated as part of Glasgow City Council’s 2026/27 budget in February 2026, with formal administration approval granted to the Trust in March 2026.
- The initiative complements changes to local Non-Domestic Rates (NDR), where the end of mandatory empty property relief has incentivised listed building re-occupation.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) October 19, 2026 — A targeted £1 million financial package designed to address the viability gap preventing empty listed properties from being re-occupied has been launched in Glasgow. The Heritage Building Viability Grant Scheme, funded directly by Glasgow City Council and administered through the Glasgow City Heritage Trust, aims to unlock unused floorspace in some of the city’s most architecturally significant structures by offering capital support to property owners.
Under the terms of the newly opened programme, individual grant awards ranging from £15,000 up to £350,000 are being made available. The capital allocations are specifically targeted at funding essential works required to bring buildings back into functional use, including upgrading services, installing modern fire safety measures, completing internal finishes, and covering associated professional fees and structural adaptations.
The capital allocation was initially agreed during the council’s 2026/27 budget proceedings in February 2026. Following the initial approval, the city administration committee formally appointed the Glasgow City Heritage Trust in March 2026 to oversee and disburse the fund on behalf of the local authority.
As reported by Project Scotland, Councillor Ruairi Kelly, depute leader and convener for housing, development, and built heritage at Glasgow City Council, stated that:
“Glasgow’s listed buildings are among the city’s greatest assets, and we want to see them full of life, not standing empty. Ending empty property relief has encouraged many owners to bring their buildings back into use. But we recognise that for some properties, the cost of the work needed is simply too great. We are delighted to be working with Glasgow City Heritage Trust to deliver this new scheme.”
As reported by Project Scotland, Dr Erin Russo, grants manager of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, stated that:
“Too many of the city’s historic buildings sit vacant due to the viability gap. This £1million grant fund is about breaking that deadlock. By administering these grants, we can help get these buildings working again for the city, supporting building owners and our historic built environment. We would encourage any owner of a vacant listed building in Glasgow to get in touch with our grants team to find out whether their project could be eligible.”
Applications for the scheme are currently open, with property owners instructed to submit expressions of interest directly through the Glasgow City Heritage Trust.
What is the Heritage Building Viability Grant Scheme?
The Heritage Building Viability Grant Scheme is a dedicated pilot funding initiative established by Glasgow City Council to tackle market failure within the city’s historic property sector. In urban heritage regeneration, a “viability gap” occurs when the cost of repairing and adapting a listed property exceeds the ultimate commercial market value or rental yield generated once the work is completed.
By offering targeted third-party grants, the initiative offsets development deficits, ensuring that physical alterations meet safety standards and operational needs without placing an insurmountable financial burden on building owners.
Which types of works are eligible for funding under the scheme?
The scheme focuses on physical works directly required to reactivate floorspace and generate sustainable revenue. Eligible expenditure includes:
- Installation and modernization of essential building services (plumbing, heating, electrical infrastructure).
- Statutory compliance and fire safety enhancements tailored to historic structures.
- Internal architectural finishes necessary to prepare floorspace for commercial or community occupancy.
- Professional design, legal, and engineering fees related to capital delivery.
How does the grant scheme align with Glasgow’s business rates reform?
The grant programme works alongside broader legislative reform concerning Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) in Scotland. In April 2023, the Scottish Government devolved discretionary powers to local authorities regarding Empty Property Relief. Following this shift, Glasgow City Council moved to curtail mandatory rates relief on empty listed buildings from April 2024 onwards.
While the removal of tax relief successfully motivated many owners to find active occupiers, local authority assessments highlighted that certain historic structures remained vacant because the capital expenditure needed for re-occupation was commercially unviable. The viability scheme directly addresses this structural issue by helping owners bring properties back into occupation so they can generate sufficient revenue to meet their ongoing NDR obligations.
Background of the particular development
The establishment of the Heritage Building Viability Grant Scheme follows prolonged policy discussions within Glasgow City Council concerning heritage preservation and urban regeneration. Glasgow contains one of the UK’s densest concentrations of historic and listed structures, ranging from Victorian commercial premises to landmark industrial architecture. However, changes in commercial property demands, paired with high maintenance requirements, have left numerous heritage spaces unoccupied.
In February 2026, Full Council approved a £1,000,000 capital allowance within the 2026/27 municipal budget specifically designated for a heritage viability pilot. In March 2026, the City Administration Committee received a formal report detailing the operational framework of the fund, authorising the engagement of Glasgow City Heritage Trust (GCHT) as the delivery partner. GCHT, an independent charity established to protect and promote Glasgow’s built environment, was chosen due to its existing technical expertise and experience in administering heritage repair grants across the city.
The strategic objective of the pilot is measured by total square metres of restored floorspace and the ongoing NDR revenue generated by reactivated properties, establishing a framework designed to protect historic assets while returning them to the local economic base.
Prediction: How this development can affect building owners, local businesses, and the heritage sector
This scheme is expected to have a direct impact on several key groups across Glasgow:
- For Property Owners: The availability of grants up to £350,000 provides immediate capital relief for owners holding vacant listed structures. It enables landlords to bridge financial shortfalls that previously halted renovation projects, turning non-performing, tax-liable assets into income-generating properties.
- For Local Businesses and Commercial Tenants: Bringing vacant upper floors and ground-level historic units back into use will expand the available supply of commercial, retail, and creative workspace in Glasgow. This increased floor capacity can attract new enterprises and footfall to key urban corridors.
- For the Heritage Sector and Local Economy: By incentivising sensitive restoration, the fund reduces the risk of long-term structural decay and heritage loss. Furthermore, the capital construction works supported by the scheme will generate direct demand for specialized heritage trades, architects, and local construction contractors across the Glasgow region.
