The new Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is now open to all farmers and land managers within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Roger Parry & Partners are encouraging farmers to apply.

Part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan, the programme runs from July 2021 until March 2024 and offers funding to farmers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Parks and the Broads.

The programme is not an agri-environment scheme, it will fund projects that:

• Support nature recovery
• Mitigate the impacts of climate change
• Provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage
• Support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses

Amy Thomas, Roger Parry & Partners’ Rural Chartered Surveyor, said, “To be eligible for the funding your project must benefit the protected landscape, or the protected landscape body’s objectives or partnership initiatives. To apply you must manage all the land included in the application; have control of all the activities you’d like to do, or you must have written consent from all parties who have management and control of the land. We are encouraging all our farming clients that are eligible to consider applying for funding from the programme.”

Farmers can get up to 100% of the costs of a project if they will not make a commercial gain from it. If they do benefit commercially from the project, then the programme will fund a proportion of the costs. The amount will depend on how much the project will benefit your business. The programme will work alongside, not in competition with, Defra’s existing and new schemes to add value where it’s most needed.

The landowner can still get funding through the programme if they are in an agri-environment scheme, as long as they are not paid twice for the same work. If the project is the same as a Countryside Stewardship activity, they will be paid the same as the Countryside Stewardship rate. If the project is not the same as a Countryside Stewardship activity, the protected landscape team will offer funding on the estimated costs.

Amy added, “Roger Parry & Partners have had great success in submitting Grant Scheme applications on behalf of our clients, with applications last year amounting to over £190,000 of income for farmers and over £90,000 worth of capital items. For more information about the Programme and our assistance to apply please call our team of experts as soon as possible.”