A heritage restoration project concerns buildings listed in the central register of the heritage fund or located within a heritage zone. The procedure is more demanding than for an ordinary building: restoration is preceded by heritage research and a restoration intent, which is approved by the regional heritage office and which determines the permissible technologies and materials. These tend to be more expensive than current solutions, which must be reflected in the budget. Given the costs, restoration is often split into stages funded from multiple sources over a number of years, with each stage having to form a meaningful whole. The applicant is usually the owner, that is, a municipality, a church, a self-governing region, or a private individual. Without a decision from the heritage office, the application is incomplete and will be rejected. Given the length of the proceedings, preparation of such a project is measured in years, not months.
See also: Grants for Culture and Monuments, Revitalisation project, Phased project.
