New research published by Northern Ireland's Department for Communities has highlighted the significant decline in the condition of the country's listed buildings over the past decade, as well as similar issues facing scheduled monuments.

This follow-up research delves into the reasons behind what is described as a "market failure" in heritage maintenance.

Despite 93% of listed building owners surveyed stating that it is important or very important to maintain their properties, a concerning one-third of Northern Ireland's listed buildings are currently vacant, and 36% are in poor or very poor condition.

Publishing the research, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons stated: "For the first time, this research gives us a detailed picture of the views of listed buildings and scheduled monument owners on the benefits they see, the barriers they face, and the interventions they think we might make, to ensure that our privately owned heritage is as well maintained as it can be."

Minister Lyons underscored the broader societal value of these structures. "Our buildings and monuments are a public good, they do more than provide benefits to individual owners. They help all our society by attracting jobs and tourism, reflecting civic pride, improving our wellbeing, reinforcing our identity and by being a key resource to learn about our long and unique history," he said.

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He also expressed gratitude to those who care for these historic assets: "As a society we owe our gratitude to those who look after these structures, and as a department we will use this research to refine and develop the practical support and help which we can provide to owners."

The research, commissioned in response to the 2021 Culture Arts and Heritage Taskforce report, comprises a literature review, surveys of listed building and scheduled monument owners, and data analysis.

Key findings from the research include:

• Owners who value their building or monument are likely to have a better maintained structure.

• Owners who receive higher private benefit from their heritage asset (i.e. value the asset for reasons in addition to its mere functional use), appear to carry out higher levels of maintenance.

• There is a strong negative relationship between condition and holding a view that there are disadvantages to owning a listed building or monument.

• When asked about obstacles preventing maintenance, 53% of scheduled monument owners said financial cost of maintenance.

• Out of those listed building owners who selected at least one obstacle, 67% of said the costs of suitable skilled contractors and/or materials.

• Another key obstacle was difficulty finding skilled contractors and/or sourcing suitable materials, (40% of LB respondents and 40% of monument owners who selected at least one obstacle).

• The most cited assistance to encourage outstanding repairs was funding/tax break, with 75% LB respondents and 70% of monument owners stating this.

Availability of affordable materials, availability of skilled builders, availability of required materials as well availability of specialist advice and guidance were also cited.