Guidance

Applicant's guide: Capital Grants from 9 February 2021

Published 9 February 2021

Applies to England

Introduction

This Capital Grants Scheme is part of Countryside Stewardship. It’s a two-year grant for capital works in three areas: boundaries, trees and orchards; water quality and air quality to deliver specific environmental benefits. This manual explains what you need to do to apply for a grant.

Agricultural Transition

We will continue to offer Countryside Stewardship agreements in 2022, 2023 and 2024. This includes capital grants.

Countryside Stewardship will eventually be replaced with the new Environmental Land Management scheme. This will follow trialling and testing and a national pilot involving farmers and land managers. The full Environmental Land Management scheme will be in place from 2024.

Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants are for a maximum of 2 years. Agreements will start from the first of the month after we’ve completed our checks. The exact start date of the agreement will be set out in the Agreement Document.

Important information

This is the first year that capital works agreements will be running under domestic legislation.

We have introduced some changes this year to the capital grants offer under Countryside Stewardship, bringing the Water Quality and Hedgerows and Boundaries grants together and expanding the number of capital items available to 67.

These are grouped into 3 categories:

• Boundaries, Trees and Orchards;

• Water Quality; and

• Air Quality.

The maximum total amount of funding for any application has increased from £10,000 to £60,000 but there is a limit of £20,000 for each of the 3 groups.

You can apply online for this grant and also apply separately for a Mid Tier Wildlife Offer.

You can only submit one application for each farm business (that is a single business identifier (SBI) connected to a farm business).

You may need to keep evidence and provide it when requested. Check Countryside Stewardship grants for the evidence and record-keeping requirements of grants before you apply for them.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can read the latest information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on GOV.UK.

Flexible application start dates

The Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants scheme will be open for applications from 9 February to 30 April 2021.

However, in response to customer feedback and in preparation for the Environmental Land Management scheme, we are considering introducing a flexible application window in 2021.

We’ll let you know about any changes as soon as we can, through our normal communication and social media channels.

The Countryside Stewardship scheme

Countryside Stewardship is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Natural England (NE) provides technical advice in support of the scheme.

If you are a farmer or other land manager, you can apply for the new Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants and access a range of capital items. There are capital items designed to help restore existing farm boundaries and those that aim to improve water and air quality, either directly or indirectly. You can do this as a standalone application, or in support of a Mid Tier Wildlife Offer.

Choosing the right capital items to reduce losses of key water pollutants and ammonia from your farm will help you to improve the quality of water and air on your farm, and in your local area.

This manual explains what you need to do to apply for the CS Capital Grants element of Countryside Stewardship (’the Scheme’). It also explains the additional requirements and processes that you must follow if your application is successful.

Countryside Stewardship Agreement

A Countryside Stewardship agreement comprises of:

1. the scheme Terms and Conditions at Annex 1

2. an Agreement Document (which sets out Agreement Holder specific details)

3. the supplementary documents referred to in the Agreement Document.

The Terms and Conditions at Annex 1 refer to the mandatory elements of this manual that Agreement Holders must comply with.

Mandatory parts of the CS Capital Grants manual

The mandatory elements of this manual are:

• Section 2: How it works

• Section 3: Who can apply and what land is eligible

• Section 6: Scheme requirements and procedures

• Section 7: Agreement Management.

More information

Read more about the different elements of Countryside Stewardship and use Countryside Stewardship forms on GOV.UK to help with your application.

1. Scheme overview

Countryside Stewardship gives incentives for land managers to look after their environment and is made up of the following elements.

• Higher Tier agreements for land that requires more complex management tailored to the individual site

• Mid Tier agreements that provide a range of options and capital items that together help to deliver a broad range of environmental benefits

• The 4 Wildlife Offers provide a simpler set of options to help improve the wildlife on farms

• The Capital Grant offer provides grants for boundaries, trees and orchards; water quality and air quality.

• The Woodland Creation and Maintenance grant supports new woodland and its longer-term maintenance

• The Woodland Management Plan grant to help create a UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant 10 year woodland management plan

• The Woodland Tree Health grant to help restore and improve tree health

• The Facilitation Fund to support individuals and organisations working with local groups of farmers and land managers, and co-ordinate their environmental land management.

Woodland Tree Health and Woodland Management Plan grants are not competitive.

If you are eligible for the grant and there is sufficient budget, RPA (supported by a Forestry Commission Woodland Officer for woodland grants) will approve your application.

Countryside Stewardship supports Defra’s Strategic Objective of ‘a cleaner, healthier environment, benefiting people and the economy’. It also supports Defra’s 25 year environment plan ‘for our country to be the healthiest, most beautiful place in the world to live, work and bring up a family’.

1.1 CS Capital Grants environmental priorities

The main priority for Countryside Stewardship is to protect and enhance the natural environment, in particular:

• increased biodiversity, improved habitat and expanded woodland areas

• improved water quality

• improved air quality

Other outcomes supported are:

• protection against flooding and coastal erosion

• maintaining the historic environment

• improved landscape character

• climate change adaptation and mitigation

2 How it works

This section provides information about the main elements of the CS Capital Grants.

2 How it works

You must read and meet the requirements detailed in this section as these are mandatory for CS Capital Grants agreement holders.

These grants are standalone capital grants available under Countryside Stewardship which can be used to support and complement the Wildlife Offers. They are split into three groups - Boundaries, Trees and Orchards (including the former HBG options), Water Quality, and Air Quality.

You can submit an application from 9 February 2021. We must receive it on or before 30 April 2021.

You can only submit one application for each farm business (that is a single business identifier (SBI) connected to a farm business). The maximum grant available for any application is £60,000. However, there is a limit of £20,000 within each option grouping as shown below.

Group	Limit
Boundaries, Trees and Orchards	£20,000 maximum
Water Quality	£20,000 maximum
Air Quality	£20,000 maximum

If your application is successful, we will make an agreement offer to you. If you accept the offer, you will enter into an agreement with RPA.

You cannot normally have a land parcel in both a CS Capital Grants agreement and another Countryside Stewardship agreement at the same time. An exception to this is that you can include a land parcel in both a CS Capital Grants agreement and a Countryside Stewardship (Mid Tier) Wildlife Offer agreement at the same time, provided there is no conflict in the requirements for each agreement. This is because Wildlife Offer agreements do not include any capital items.

2.1 Capital items available

There are now 67 capital items available. They are split into three groups - Boundaries, Trees and Orchards (the former HBG options), Water Quality, and Air Quality.

Use the Countryside Stewardship online grant finder which gives a description and essential requirements for each capital item. This includes eligibility and evidence requirements..

You can find the payment rates and details about using supplements in Section 5.

Some capital items require Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO) approval. These are listed in the Annex 2. If you apply for these and do not have approval, we will remove them from your application. Your land must also be in a Countryside Stewardship High Priority Area for Water or Air Quality. For more information about CSFO approval go to Annex 2.

2.2 Agreement period

Agreements are for a maximum of 2 years. Agreements will start from the first of the month after we’ve completed our checks. The exact start date of the agreement will be set out in the Agreement Document.

You must keep all capital items funded through this scheme in the condition and to the specification set out in your agreement for 5 years from the start date of your agreement.

Section 7.3 explains this ‘durability requirement’. You can make one (or more) claims for payment during the 2 years of the agreement and can make a final claim within 3 months of the end of the agreement (read section 7.3 for more information).

Once you have received the final payment under your agreement, you can make another CS Capital Grants application.

2.3 How applications are selected

The scheme is competitive and your application could be subject to assessment of its environmental value. If the scheme is oversubscribed, we will publish further details on how we will assess applications.

2.4 What the grant does not cover

The CS Capital Grants do not cover:

• maintenance of farm boundaries

• creating new farm boundaries

• any capital works done (or materials ordered) before the agreement starts

• planning application fees or other transactional fees

• agent fees or other advisory fees

• meeting legal requirements, including planning conditions and tenancy agreements

• any works on a Site of Special Scientific Interest or Scheduled Monument (including any works on the boundary of these sites)

• any works on common land

• any works undertaken as part of another grant or obligation (read section 3.3).

3 Who can apply

You must read and meet the requirements detailed in this section as these are mandatory for all CS Capital Grants Agreement Holders.

3.1 Eligible land

3.1.1 What land you can enter into the scheme

You can only submit one application for each farm business (that is a single business identifier (SBI) connected to a farm business).

Land parcels included in a Countryside Stewardship Implementation Plan agreement (PA1), Feasibility Study Agreement (PA2), Woodland management Plan (PA3) or Woodland Tree Health grant agreement may be eligible (provided all other eligibility criteria are met).

• Land parcels must be entirely within England.

• Land parcels that are already in a Countryside Stewardship (Mid Tier) Wildlife Offer, a Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement, including Uplands Entry Level Stewardship/ Higher Level Stewardship (UELS/HLS), an Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) or Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) agreement, and land parcels subject to an English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) agreement are usually eligible for the scheme, however read section 3.3 for some exceptions

• You must have management control of the relevant parcels for a minimum of 2 years from the agreement start date.

3.1.2 Land parcels and boundaries which are not eligible

The following are not eligible for the scheme.

• Common land and shared grazing

• Land not entirely within England

• Land where you do not have management control for a minimum of 2 years from the agreement start date (read section 3.2.1)

• Land where you do not have management control for the length of the durability requirement and are not able to have your application countersigned by the landowner (read section 3.2.1)

• Land that is already included in another scheme or obligation (read section 3.3).

• Land in a Site of Special Scientific Interest or Scheduled Monument (including the boundaries of these sites).

• Land parcels already in existing agreements are also not eligible for the scheme.

• Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier (except land parcels in a Countryside Stewardship Wildlife Offer which are eligible for CS Capital Grants agreement)

• Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier

• Countryside Stewardship Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant.

3.2 Management Control: eligibility and scheme rules

You must have management control of all the land and all the activities needed to meet the requirements of the management options and/or capital items you select for the full period of the Countryside Stewardship agreement.

If you do not have full control of the land and all such activities, you must get the written consent of all other parties who have management control of the land and activities for the entire period of the agreement. Read below for more details on how to do this.

3.2.1 Tenants

If you are a tenant applying for an agreement in your own name, you must have:

• control of all the activities needed to meet the scheme requirements for the chosen capital items

• management control of all the agreement land for the duration of any commitments, including the durability requirement. If you do not have management control for 5 years from the start date of the agreement, you must get the countersignature of your landlord as part of your application

• security of tenure for the full period of the agreement (2 years from the agreement start date). You are not eligible if you do not have this minimum period of tenure.

You must have the agreement of your landlord or the landowner before you apply. If you are a tenant, including under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 (a Farm Business Tenancy) or equivalent, it is your responsibility to check that by joining Countryside Stewardship you do not breach the terms of your tenancy.

If the landlord takes over a Countryside Stewardship agreement from you once your tenancy has ended, they must be eligible to do so. For example, they must not be an ineligible public body.

3.2.2 Landlords

If you are a landlord and can show that you have enough management control over the land and activities, you can apply for an agreement on land that has been let to a tenant.

As the Agreement Holder, you must give your tenant a copy of the Countryside Stewardship agreement. You may need to provide evidence, if requested, that you have given your tenant a copy of the agreement. It is your responsibility to make sure that your tenant does not breach the terms of the agreement.

3.2.3 Partnerships

If you are in a business partnership, you can apply for Countryside Stewardship. The person signing the application must have the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service.

3.2.4 Licensors

If you are a licensor, you can apply for a Countryside Stewardship agreement. It is your responsibility to make sure that the licensee does not breach the terms of the Countryside Stewardship agreement.

3.2.5 Licensees

If you only have access to land under a licence arrangement, you cannot usually apply for a Countryside Stewardship agreement. This is because a licensee will not have sufficient management control of the land and will be ineligible. However, if in practice, your agreement with the landowner gives you wider land management responsibilities, this may mean you are a tenant not a licensee and you may be eligible. If this is the case, you will need to show that you have sufficient management control of the land and activities to be able to apply.

3.2.6 Land owned by public bodies

Land owned or run by a public body would in general not be eligible for Countryside Stewardship. If you are a tenant of a public body, you will need to check with your landlord if the land is eligible for Countryside Stewardship.

Countryside Stewardship cannot pay for any environmental management that is already required through:

• payment from Exchequer funds

• grant aid from any other public body

• any other form of legally binding obligation including tenancies.

This means that Crown bodies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are not eligible for the scheme. This includes those that are Trading Funds or those that do not receive funding direct from the Exchequer. Crown bodies include all government departments and their executive agencies, for example:

• Ministry of Defence

• Forestry Commission

NDPBs are public bodies that have a role in the processes of national government but are not a government department, and are not part of one. These include:

• Environment Agency

• Natural England

• Historic England

• National Forest Company.

Parish councils and former college farms are not considered to be public bodies and so are eligible to apply for Countryside Stewardship.

The following table provides more detailed eligibility criteria for public bodies.

Body/Organisation	Eligibility	Details
Government departments, executive agencies and NDPBs (for example, Ministry of Defence, Forestry Commission)	Ineligible	Not applicable
Other public bodies (for example, local authorities, National Park authorities and public corporations)	Eligible	Provided the work does not form part of their obligations as a public body
Parish Councils and former college farms	Eligible	Not applicable
Tenants of eligible public bodies	Eligible	Ineligible where the work is already a requirement of the tenancy agreement. The public body must countersign the application if the tenant does not have security of tenure
Tenants of ineligible public bodies	Eligible	Ineligible where the work is already a requirement of the tenancy agreement. Tenants must have security of tenure for the full term of the agreement, including the durability requirement, as the public body cannot countersign the application.

3.3 Land receiving other funding or under other agreements or obligations

You cannot use a grant for capital works which you are required to carry out under other obligations or for which you are receiving funding from other sources. We will carry out checks to make sure that capital works are not funded twice from public money.

You must make sure that any work proposed for this grant does not breach the conditions of any other agreement. The most common examples are listed below.

3.3.1 Applying for Countryside Stewardship where someone else is claiming Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) on the same land (‘dual use’)

In certain circumstances, it is possible for a land parcel to be used by one Single Business Identifier (SBI) to claim BPS and that same land parcel to also be included in a Countryside Stewardship application submitted by someone else under their SBI. This is known as ‘dual use’.

If you are in a dual use situation you must be able to demonstrate that you are meeting the rules and eligibility requirements of the scheme you are claiming for and you must have a written record.

If you are the Countryside Stewardship applicant, you have to meet the Countryside Stewardship eligibility rules, including having ‘management control’ of the land included in your Countryside Stewardship application. The BPS applicant must show that they have the same land ‘at their disposal’ under the BPS rules (and meet BPS eligibility rules). If you have an agreement with another person who uses the land to apply for BPS, this does not mean that person has the land at their disposal. It is the rights and responsibilities held in relation to the land, and how they operate in practice, which determine this.

An example of ‘dual use’ is where a landlord is able to have management control of the land for Countryside Stewardship while the tenant has the same land at their disposal to claim BPS.

If you are the Countryside Stewardship applicant, make sure you have a written record before the BPS application deadline in 2022 (usually 15 May but date might change in 2022) that is signed and dated by both parties. This written record could be a tenancy agreement, a letter, or both, which shows:

• the rights and responsibilities you and the BPS applicant in the ‘dual use’ situation each have for the land

• you have management control of the land and the BPS applicant has the land ‘at their disposal’

• you have given a copy of the Countryside Stewardship Agreement Document and the terms and conditions (once you receive them) to the other party and that they must meet the terms and conditions (unless you can show that you are carrying out the required activities).

You must also make sure that the ‘dual use’ land parcels are linked to both SBIs in the digital maps in the Rural Payments service. The BPS applicant may need to transfer the land parcels to you using an electronic or paper RLE1 form. Read about how to do this in the RLE1 guidance on GOV.UK

You may want to get independent professional advice, especially if you previously had a verbal agreement (rather than a written agreement) with the other party.

3.3.2 Environmental Stewardship

Land parcels in Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) are now eligible, providing there is no conflict in the requirements for each agreement.

3.3.3 Countryside Stewardship

You can enter land parcels in a Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier Wildlife Offer agreement into the CS Capital Grants application. This is because the Countryside Stewardship Wildlife Offers do not include any funding for capital works.

However, you cannot enter land parcels in any other form of Countryside Stewardship agreement (Higher Tier, other Mid Tier agreements) into the CS Capital Grants application.

3.3.4 English Woodland Grant Scheme

You cannot apply for Countryside Stewardship options on land parcels covered by a multi-annual English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) agreement, Farm Woodland Payment (FWP), Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS) or Farm Woodland Scheme (FWS).

You can apply for Countryside Stewardship options on land parcels covered by an EWGS Management Planning Grant and certain capital grants (for example, Woodland Improvement Grant - WIG) as long as this does not result in you being paid twice for the same items or activities and the CS options do not conflict with any ongoing EWGS requirements.

3.3.5 Farming Recovery Fund

Land parcels covered by the Farming Recovery Fund are not eligible at present.

3.3.6 Inheritance tax or Capital Gains exemption

Countryside Stewardship options and capital items may be available on land designated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) as conditionally exempt from Inheritance Tax or as the object of a Maintenance Fund, depending on the specific undertakings and proposed options or capital items.

Read Inheritance tax and capital gains exemption: Countryside Stewardship to find out whether options and capital items are always eligible, or never eligible, or need checking to make sure that options do not overlap with the obligations of the undertakings.

3.3.7 Capital Grants under Countryside Productivity, Growth Programme, LEADER, Water Environment Grant, Woodland Carbon Fund and HS2 Woodland Fund

Countryside Stewardship cannot fund works that form part of these, or similar schemes or grants.

3.4 Business Viability Test

We will check all applicants against an insolvency register. If we assess your application as not financially viable, we may not offer you an agreement.

4 How to apply

This section gives the information you need to apply for CS Capital Grants.

4.1 CS Capital Grants application route: step by step guide

Step 1 – Before you apply

• Register on the Rural Payments service, if you have not already done so - read section 4.2

• Make sure that you and the land you wish to enter into the grant are eligible – read section 3

• If you prefer to use an agent, you will need to authorise them to act for you – read section 4.3

• Make sure you have Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO) approval for the relevant Water and Air Quality capital items. You must contact your CSFO at least 6 weeks before you intend to submit your application otherwise there is no guarantee that your request will be considered. Read section 4.6.2.

• For parcels to be included they must be registered on the Rural Payments service. If you need new land parcel numbers, fill in an RLE1 form and send to us with sketch maps.

Step 2 – Start to fill in your application form

• Start your online application (there is guidance available to help you - read section 4.4.1) or

• If you are unable to submit an online application then you can start an email application by downloading the application form from GOV.UK and read the guidance at section 4.4.2

• If you are unable to email your application, start a postal application by downloading the application form from GOV.UK (there is guidance to help you – read section 4.4.2)

• Choose which capital items to apply for – read section 5

• Request approval, consents and permissions (if applicable) – read section 4.6

Step 3 – Gather your evidence and supporting documents

• Prepare a map to send with your application – read section 4.5

• Get any documents you need to support your application – read sections 4.6 and 6.3

• Keep photographic evidence to support your application as we may ask to see it – read sections 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5

• Make sure you clearly label all photographic evidence – read section 6.6

• We’ll only accept supporting documents such as photos or forms, if they are either printed and sent by post or scanned and attached to an email. The maximum size of emails that we can accept is 32MB. For security reasons, we cannot accept discs, USB pen drives or other external storage media.

Step 4 – Fill in and submit the application

• Fill in the remaining sections of your application form. Use the guidance to help you and read section 4.7

• Check your application is complete before you submit it – read section 4.7.1

• Submit your application online, or if you are unable to apply online, by email or by post – read section 4.7.2

• If you submit by email please put ‘Application – CS – Capital Grants in the email subject heading and send it to us at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk. You must also put your SBI number in your email and check it is on everything you send to us. You can email your completed application without having signed it. Please make sure that you have the correct permission level and that the email address for your business is registered in the Rural Payments service, or the email will be rejected.

• If you are unable to email your application and need to return a paper application, please sign your application form and send it with any supporting documents to: Rural Payments Agency (CS), PO Box 324, Worksop S95 1DF

• Please put your SBI number on everything you send to us. If you submit by post, you must submit the original form that was sent to you as we cannot accept a copy

• Make sure we receive your completed application by 30 April 2021.

4.2 Register with Rural Payments

You must be registered on the Rural Payments service before you can apply for this grant. Once you’re registered, you will receive a Customer Registration Number (CRN) and a Single Business Identifier (SBI). You can find more information on How to register and update your details on the Rural Payments service on GOV.UK.

All land parcels listed on your application must be registered on the Rural Payments service.

4.3 Authorise an agent

You can authorise an agent to fill in and submit your application for you. This also applies to payment claim forms for Agreement Holders.

For an agent to act for you, you must give them the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service on GOV.UK. This applies even if you have previously authorised the agent using the paper agent authorisation form.

Read ‘Give someone else permission to act on your behalf’ on GOV.UK for more information on the different levels of permission. You should also read the information in the Permission levels screen in the Rural Payments service. This lists what is permitted at each level.

4.4 Application methods

We would encourage you to submit your application online if you can. If you are unable to do so, you can apply by email or by post.

4.4.1 Online

You can apply online using the Rural Payments service. The service includes a ‘help’ link on many of the screens that will take you through each process step by step.

If you apply online, you do not need to fill in a Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants application form. However, you must send us a map and any supporting documents by email or post.

The application deadline is 30 April 2021. We must receive your online application, map and any supporting documents we ask for by email or post, by this date. If we do not, we will reject your application.

4.4.2 By email or post

You can email or post your application using the Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants application form.

To help you fill in the application form read the Countryside Stewardship: How to apply for Capital Grants.

If you submit by email, please put ‘Application – CS – CS Capital Grants in the email subject heading. You must also put your SBI number in your email and check it is on everything you send to us. You need to make sure that you have the appropriate permission levels and that the email address for your business is registered in the Rural Payments service.

If you are unable to email your application and need to return a paper application, please sign your application form and send it with any supporting documents to:

Rural Payments Agency (CS)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

Please put your SBI number on everything you send to us.

We recommend that you get proof of postage for any documents you send to us by post. You should keep a copy of your completed application form.

We must receive your completed application by 30 April 2021.

4.5 Prepare a map to accompany your application

You must complete your map to a required standard. Please read the Countryside Stewardship: Capital grants - How to complete maps for your application guide

4.6 Getting consent

You must check each capital item you are applying for to see if any consents are needed.

You are responsible for arranging all relevant consents, permissions, exemptions and written advice needed for your application. You will not be paid for any work undertaken without all the necessary consents and permissions being in place before you begin any work.

In some cases, you will not be offered an agreement if these are not in place.

4.6.1 Planning Consent

Your local planning authority can give you informal advice on whether a proposal needs planning consent. There is also general guidance on planning permission for farms available.

You do not need to provide evidence of whether planning permission or consent is needed with your application. However, if required, you will need to have permission or consent in place before you carry out any work, and you will need to submit this evidence when you make a claim for this work.

4.6.2 Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO) approval

If you are intending to apply for certain Water and/or Air Quality capital items you must contact your CSFO early as possible before you intend to submit your application. To allow time for the CSFO to consider your application, you must contact them at least 6 weeks before you intend to submit your application otherwise there is no guarantee that your request will be considered.

You can find CSFO contact details and guidance on finding out whether your land is in a Countryside Stewardship High Priority Area for Water or Air on GOV.UK.

There is further information on the options that require CSFO approval in Annex 2.

4.6.3 Other consents

You may need to apply for other consents or licences even if you do not need planning consent. Examples of areas where a consent or licence is likely to be needed includes where the work affects:

• protected species (as defined by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981)

• a registered parkland

• a registered battlefield

• a watercourse or highway

• areas subject to a Tree Preservation Order - a licence may be needed for any changes to trees and hedges.

4.6.4 Work on tree and hedges

You may need permission for work on trees under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). If this applies to you, contact your Local Authority or National Park Authority. Read more information about Tree Preservation Orders.

You may need a Forestry Commission Felling Licence to remove trees or manage hedges. You can fell up to 5m3 and sell up to 2m3 of timber without a felling licence each calendar quarter. If you plan to fell more, you must get a felling licence before your agreement offer can be issued. Read more information about felling licences.

You do not need to provide TPO permission or a felling licence with your application, but, if required, you will need to have the consent before you carry out any work. You will need to submit this when you make a claim for this work.

4.6.5 Other considerations

When you carry out work under the agreement, remember that you must not breach any other rules or laws, such as:

• break byelaws

• obstruct public rights of way

• block or restrict access to ‘open access’ land

• affect oil or gas pipelines

• breach your cross compliance requirements in relation to any other existing commitments you hold, where applicable, for example if you claim BPS payments.

4.7 Complete and submit your application

You can submit your application by following the online application process, or by filling in an application form and sending it to us by email or post.

You also need to send us:

• the application map as at section 4.5

• a Countryside Stewardship land ownership and control form, if applicable

• any other supporting documents we ask for.

You do not need to send the following with your application, but if required, you will need to have permission or consent in place before you carry out any work and you will need to submit this evidence when you make a claim for this work.

• Any relevant consents, permissions, exemptions or any written advice (read section 6.3.2).

• Any evidence you need to support your application (read sections 6.3 to 6.5), including photographs and any other evidence required for each capital item as described on the Countryside Stewardship grant finder.

4.7.1 Before you submit your application

Read this Countryside Stewardship manual and the Terms and Conditions at Annex 1

If you apply online:

• double check the details in your online application summary are correct

• tick the box to confirm you agree to the terms of the declaration

• press Submit within the ‘Make/Manage your application’ section.

If you apply by email:

• double check the details in your application form are correct

• read the declaration, undertakings and warning carefully

• enter your name in block letters, your capacity (for example, sole trader, company director, agent and so on) and the date.

If you apply by post:

• double check the details in your application form are correct

• read the declaration, undertakings and warning carefully

• sign and enter your name in block letters, your capacity (for example, sole trader, company director, agent and so on) and the date of your signature.

The party/parties who sign the paper application or submit the online application must have the authority to act on behalf of the applicant and have the appropriate permission levels in Rural Payments.

Make sure any countersignatories’ (for example, landlords’) declarations, undertakings and signature(s) are provided (if applicable).

4.7.2 Submitting your application

If you apply online, your application is not complete until we have received all the supporting information. This must be received by 30 April 2021.

Send your email application to us at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk

Send your postal applications (and supporting information if you applied online) to:

Rural Payments Agency (CS)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

We recommend that you:

• get proof of postage for these and any other documents you send to us

• keep a copy of your completed application form and map.

4.7.3 After you apply

Once we receive your application, we will check it to confirm that:

• it meets the eligibility requirements in Section 3

• you have filled in all the necessary details on the application form

• you have completed the map.

If you are successful, we will write to you to make you an agreement offer which cannot be amended. If you want to accept the agreement offer you must sign and return the declaration by post within 20 working days. If you do not accept your offer in time, it will be withdrawn. If your application is unsuccessful, we will let you know why it was rejected. You will then have the right to appeal to us, as set out in section 7.7.

You can find more information about entering into an agreement at section 6.1.

5 Choosing capital items

A description and brief requirements for the capital items under the CS Capital Grants.

5 Choosing capital items

A description and brief requirements for the capital items under the CS Capital Grants are provided below. More detailed information on (and the specific requirements for) these items are available on the Countryside Stewardship online grant finder.

You can select multiple options from the three different groups. The maximum grant available is £60,000. However, there is a limit of £20,000 within each option group.

Boundaries, Trees and Orchards option group

Code	Option	Payment Rate	Option Group classification	Supplement?	CSFO approval required?
BN1	Stone-faced bank repair	£31/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN2	Stone-faced bank restoration	£86/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN3	Earth bank creation	£13.50/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN4	Earth bank restoration	£7/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN5	Hedgerow laying	£9.40/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN6	Hedgerow coppicing	£4/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN7	Hedgerow gapping-up	£9.50/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN8	Hedgerow supplement - casting up	£3/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	Yes, only use with BN5 and BN6	N
BN10	Hedgerow supplement - top binding and staking	£3.40/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	Yes, only use with BN5	N
BN11	Planting new hedges	£11.60/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN12	Stone wall restoration	£25/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
BN13	Top wiring - stone wall	£3.60/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	Yes, only use with BN12	N
BN14	Stone wall supplement - stone from quarry	£44/m	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	Yes, only use with BN12	N
FG12	Wooden field gate	£390/gate	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
FG14	Badger gate	£135/gate	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
TE1	Planting standard hedgerow tree	£8.80/tree	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
TE10	Coppicing bankside trees	£52/tree	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
TE11	Tree surgery	£96.50/tree when cutting limbs up to and incl. 20cm diameter £200/tree when cutting limbs over 20cm diameter	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
WB1	Small wildlife box	£28.50/box	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
WB2	Medium wildlife box	£39/box	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N
WB3	Large wildlife box	£100/box	Boundaries Trees and Orchards	N/A	N

You can only apply for a supplement with its associated capital item, as follows:

• BN8 – can only be used on BN5 and BN6

• BN10 – can only be used with BN5

• BN13 – can only be used with BN12

• BN14 – can only be used with BN12.

• Both BN13 and BN14 can be used with BN12

Water quality options

Code	Option	Payment Rate	Option Group classification	Supplement?	CSFO approval required?
FG1	Fencing	£4/m	Water Quality	N/A	N
FG2	Sheep netting	£4.90/m	Water Quality	N/A	N
FG3	Permanent electric fencing	£4.90/m	Water Quality	N/A	N
FG4	Rabbit fencing supplement	£2.50/m	Water Quality	Yes (only use with FG1, FG2, FG3)	N
FG15	Water gates	£240/gate	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV3	Hard bases for livestock drinkers	£110/base	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV4	Hard bases for livestock feeders	£170/base	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV5	Pasture pumps and associated pipework	£220/pump	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV6	Ram pumps and associated pipework	£1,480/pump	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV7	Livestock troughs	£110/trough	Water Quality	N/A	N
LV8	Pipework associated with livestock troughs	£2.65/m	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP1	Resurfacing of gateways	£92/gateway	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP2	Gateway relocation	£340/gateway	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP3	Watercourse crossings	£300/crossing	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP4	Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks	£33/m	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP5	Cross drains	£245/drain	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP6	Installation of piped culverts in ditches	£340/culvert	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP7	Sediment ponds and traps	£10/m2	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP9	Earth banks and soil bunds	£155/unit	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP10	Silt filtration dams or seepage barriers	£75/unit	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP11	Swales	£5.95/m2	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP12	Check dams	£42 for each dam	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP13	Yard - underground drainage pipework	£5.50/m	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP14	Yard inspection pit	£200/unit	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP15	Concrete yard renewal	£27.14/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP16	Rainwater goods	£11.40/m	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP17	Storage tanks underground	£350/m3	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP18	Above ground tanks	£100/m3	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP19	First flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters	£125/unit	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP20	Relocation of sheep dips and pens	£3,675/unit	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP21	Relocation of sheep pens only	£1,830/unit	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP22	Sheep dip drainage aprons and sumps	£18.25/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP23	Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep)	£68/unit	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP24	Lined biobed plus pesticide loading and washdown area	£118/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP25	Lined biobed with existing washdown area	£77/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP26	Biofilters	£990/unit	Water Quality	N/A	N
RP27	Sprayer or applicator load and washdown area	£40/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP28	Roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores)	£62/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP29	Self-supporting covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores	£30.50/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
RP30	Floating covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores and lagoons	£5.60/m2	Water Quality	N/A	Y
WN5	Pond management (100 square metres or less)	£270/pond	Water Quality	N/A	N
WN6	Pond management (more than 100 square metres)	£170/100m2	Water Quality	N/A	N

Air quality options

Code	Option	Payment Rate	Option Group classification	Supplement?	CSFO approval required?
AQ1	Automatic slurry scraper	£2,760 per passageway/ channel	Air Quality	N/A	Y
AQ2	Low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings	£72/m2	Air Quality	N/A	Y
TE4	Supply and plant a tree	£1.28/tree	Air Quality	N/A	Y
TE5	Supplement for use of individual tree-shelters	£1.60/unit	Air Quality	Yes, only use with TE4	Y

For further information on Water and Air Quality options that require Catchment Sensitive Farming approval, go to Annex 2.

For parcels to be included they must be registered on the Rural Payments service. If you need to register new land parcels, fill in an RLE1 form and send to us with sketch maps.