Natural England opened applications on the 1^st Feb 2017 for the Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant, part of Countryside Stewardship. Individually worth up to £5,000, it is designed to help farmers and landowners improve farmland boundaries.

The application window will close on the 28^th April, 2017 with applications invited for one-off grants to restore a range of features including hedgerows, dry stone walls, stone faced banks and earth banks. Payment rates are based on a fixed per metre cost for operations including hedge laying (£9.40/m) or coppicing (£4.00/m), gapping up (£9.50/m) and stone wall restoration (£25/m).

Applications are competitively scored with businesses previously in environmental stewardship agreements or woodland grant schemes, applications over £1,000 and holdings which are part of a group receiving Facilitation Fund payments viewed more favourably. Priority will be given to smaller holdings with restoration of hedges or walls preferred to stone-faced or earth banks.

The grant is not available on land that would be managed under a Mid or Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship, a live 2016 Hedgerow and Boundary Grant, Higher Level Stewardship or Uplands Entry Level Stewardship on the 31^st July 2017 although land in Entry Level Stewardship can be included provided other eligibility criteria are met. To be eligible the land must:

• Be under the management control of the applicant for a minimum period of 2 years from the agreement start date (or countersigned by such a person).
• Be entirely within England.
• Not be common land or shared grazing.
• Not be covered by any other source of public/private funding for the same capital works in the same location.

If you would like more information or to find out how our Rural Property & Business department can help you, please call Jim.

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