New Forest Consultation
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
The public consultation on the allocation of land on the New Forest common for BPS closed on 3 February 2021. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation.
RPA has carefully considered every response which has helped to shape our future BPS policy in the New Forest. We have published the government response which you can find above.
We will write to all our New Forest customers in April with an information statement and guidance to show how the changes we are making will affect you and to explain how you should complete your 2021 BPS application.
What you need to do
You do not need to do anything further at this stage unless you have any comments or complaints about the consultation process. You can email or write to us using the contact details below.
Email: consultation.coordinator@defra.gov.uk.
Write to:
New Forest Consultation Coordinator
2nd floor
Foss House
Kings Pool
1-2 Peasholme Green
York
YO1 7PX
Make sure you enter ‘New Forest Consultation’ as the subject of your email or letter.
Original consultation
Consultation description
RPA will hold 2 live online public meetings (webinars) on the following dates:
- Thursday 17 December 2020 from 18:30 to 20:30
- Tuesday 12 January 2021 from 15:00 to 17:00
RPA representatives will go through the consultation and there will be opportunity to ask questions and comment on the proposed options.
Register for one of these online public meetings (webinars).
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) invites farmers and stakeholders to consider alternative ways to allocate the eligible area of the New Forest to support BPS claims for payment.
The existing method uses the number of marking fees paid in one year, which is then used to calculate the eligible area of the New Forest in the following year.
This method has recently been challenged as having the effect of encouraging commoners to keep more animals in order to be paid more subsidies, and therefore impacting the environment.
We are seeking views on 3 options together with any other possible options, and aim to make changes to the BPS scheme from 2021 onwards.
What you need to do
You’re invited to take part in the consultation if you:
- have an interest in the ownership or management of the New Forest
- have a property or holding to which New Forest grazing rights are attached
- already claim BPS using New Forest grazing rights or have an interest in doing so in the future
- represent the interests of individuals falling into one of the categories above
Details of how to respond to the consultation are in the letter or at paragraph 20 of the consultation document.
The outcome of the consultation is expected at the end of March 2021.