Vacant to Vibrant scheme

Vacant to Vibrant scheme update on 2 December 2025

Our Vacant to Vibrant scheme has two funding pots, city centre funding (fully allocated) and citywide funding (beyond the city centre boundary) – now welcoming applications. 

Matchmaker service

A matchmaker service is still available to support people interested in identifying a suitable property (either city centre or citywide), or tenant. If you would like more information about this service,  email [email protected].

What is Vacant to Vibrant?

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

While the city centre pot is fully allocated, we have secured further funding for our citywide scheme and are now welcoming applications. The citywide scheme provides capital grants to incentivise and support property owners and potential occupiers in bringing vacant properties back into use in local neighbourhoods across the city. 

Vacant to Vibrant citywide

We initially secured £300,000 in capital funding from the Department for Communities and £219,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This extended our scheme to properties and businesses located in Belfast outside the city centre boundary, prioritising properties with significant frontage in urban centres and along arterial routes.

We approved 24 applications to the first round of Vacant to Vibrant Citywide funding, which created approximately 83 direct employment opportunities.  

We have now allocated £200,000 and secured a further £500,000 in capital funding from the Department for Communities to reopen the citywide scheme. 

Information sessions

You can drop in to talk with a member of the team about making a Vacant to Vibrant Citywide application at the following information sessions:

For further information on the scheme, email [email protected] to speak to a member of the team.

Vacant to Vibrant city centre

All funding has now been allocated. 

We approved 48 applicants for a Vacant to Vibrant grant in Belfast city centre. This funding created 139 direct employment opportunities, with a further 34 indirect employment opportunities across the supply chain, and reanimated 23 historical buildings or buildings of interest.

There were successful applications by:

• bakeries
• gyms
• charities
• art galleries
• hairdressing salons, and
• tattoo studios.

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

Vacant to Vibrant case studies

Watch this one minute, 15-second video on how ArtsEkta benefitted from Vacant to Vibrant funding.

Watch this one minute, 10-second video on how Forward South Partnership benefitted from Vacant to Vibrant funding.

Watch this one-minute, 36-second video on how Another World benefitted from Vacant to Vibrant funding.

Watch this one-minute, six-second video on how Michele International Hair and Beauty benefitted from Vacant to Vibrant funding.

Watch this one-minute, 35-second video on how our Vacant to Vibrant capital grant scheme has supported Bodega Bagels to renovate a vacant city centre premises to grow their business.

Watch this two-minute, 22-second video on 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-second long video on how Vacant to Vibrant funding is helping to restore Tedford’s Sail Loft Warehouse.