Old Bank of Ireland buildings

Looking for some light to be thrown on something. There’s an old BoI building coming up soon For sale near me. Fine building, has even a garden. Rumour has it these cannot be sold as private dwellings. Any info on this please?

L1011

It would need change of use planning to be used as a residence, so you are not going to get a residential mortgage to buy it.

If it has been out of use for over two years it may be planning exempt for conversion, but don't expect to get a mortgage on a maybe.

If you can fund it otherwise, it is likely that permission would be given for conversion unless its completely off the wall for use as a house - e.g. the prominent commercial building on a main street of a large town. Your description doesn't seem to suggest that!

Thanks for that excellent summary. It’s not in a large town and because of its build it is reasonably prominent but I don’t think that would be an issue. It sounds like a good turnaround for a purchase with private funding. Thanks again.

L1011

Obviously check (get a solicitor to check) for any weird legal caveats in the paperwork before bidding. But its unlikely its anything other than it being a bank not a house currently meaning it can't be sold to someone who is borrowing for a house.

Sleepy

Many older banks in smaller towns / villages would have had accommodation above the offices for the manager and his family (sounds like this could be the case with the one you're looking at if it has a garden) so you may find it's already zoned as mixed commercial/residential. Might make finance easier.

Be aware, if it is an old BOI building there is a good chance that it is a protected structure. This may not prevent you from altering the internal of the building, but it sure means the planners will scrutinise what you want to do, and how you do it. From experience of renovating an old protected building, it can be expensive and infuriating if the planner is a knob.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071356#Comment_119071356

In BOI cases, they sometimes had that in big towns too - the former BOI on O'Connell Street in Dublin still had someone living in the managers apartment when I was doing work there ~9 years ago (for the new tenant of the old banking hall).

Possibly the only person actually living full time on that street!

Be right back

..

0ph0rce0

Well there goes that guys dream 😂

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119074568#Comment_119074568

There's about 30 of them for sale.

Claw Hammer

If a building is not an existing residence a change of use will require that it be brought up to the current standard of building regulations. That includes wiring and BER. It could be a very expensive exercise even if it is not a protected structure. Bank buildings are invariably in major streets and carrying out building work can be very awkward not to mention dealing with an old building.

Sleepy

There are obvious advantages to these old buildings too though: you'll have a nice looking exterior, high ceilings, potentially beautiful tiled/parquet flooring, lots of mahogany from the cashier desks / counter-tops (that even if you're removing could be reworked into bespoke kitchen furniture or even sold on for decent money) and the property certainly wouldn't be lacking in character!

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119074860#Comment_119074860

There is a wide-ranging exemption from change of use to residential currently, but only if the building is out of use for over two years (and there are other conditions). Many of these banks closed Autumn 2021.

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119076059#Comment_119076059

The exemption is from planning permission not from building regulations. It doesn't apply in the case of listed buildings either.

lomb

No one enforces building regs in Ireland.You can basically just work away. The building regs are the last of the problems (except if you sell of course) You may need to subcontract jobs as a real contractor may not be interested in not following regs.

Haven’t been here in a while but just saw the replies. Thanks all round.

Victor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071356#Comment_119071356

Depending on the bank's space requirements, many of these were converted to offices.

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119079532#Comment_119079532

To avail of the change of uses exemption you have to notify the Local Authority in advance that you are going to avail of it.

That may well trigger an inspection at some point. Even if not at that point, no way can anyone get a mortgage on the building unless everything is certified. It would be foolhardy to think a building can be bought and converted from one planning use category to another without complying with building regulations and there would be no adverse repercussions. The downsides could be very severe if things go wrong.