Farm building classification

paddylonglegs

Hello,

I'm looking for advice on whether a blacksmiths forge would be considered a farm building, with the intention of applying for a REPS4 grant if it is available next year, to protect the building from further disrepair.

The building is in a small village in Wexford. It is a protected structure and was originally used as a Blacksmiths forge, which would have been an important building 100 years ago, and is still considered an important building in terms of country and village heritage (hence the protected status). The building would have been part of a farm across the road from it but the farm is no longer a functioning farm.

Does anyone know if a blacksmiths forge is considered a farm building?

http://www.tidytowns.ie/newsItem.php?id=304

I am hoping to find another route of funding if this is not available to me

Poor Uncle Tom

The following is the definition of agriculture as found in the Planning Act:

“agriculture” includes horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming, the breeding and keeping of livestock (including any creature kept for the production of food, wool, skins or fur, or for the purpose of its use in the farming of land), the training of horses and the rearing of bloodstock, the use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds, and “agricultural” shall be construed accordingly;

Your forge falls into the category in that it is a building required in connection with the keeping of livestock.
But, Is the building obselete since horses are no longer the preferred means of carrying out heavy work on a farm and have been superceeded by the tractor. However, if the use of the building has never changed and it has always been a forge, then this speaks for itself.

paddylonglegs

good point about the horse/tractor issue

From the Tidy Towns Site:
Eligible Buildings: Traditional farm buildings which were built for a purpose associated with agriculture (such as housing machinery or animals, or storing or processing crops and food), and which are still used for an agricultural purpose. Buildings which once met the above conditions, but which are currently unused or empty, are also eligible.

In saying that, there may be other farming practices that are not used today, but still would have made use of farm buildings in its day.

I'm also not sure whether the forge was used specifically for its own farm or if others in the village also used its service, this may also affect eligibility

Poor Uncle Tom

I think you'd best talk to an Agricultural Advisor, such as your local Teagasc Advisor, to see for sure, or a dedicated REPS Advisor. They prepare the reps applications after all.