In what will be welcome news for land managers across the country, DEFRA have this afternoon announced the reopening of the Capital Grants Scheme with immediate effect. The £150 million fund covers 78 Capital Items divided between 6 item groups:
1. Air quality
2. Assessments
3. Boundaries, trees and orchards
4. Natural flood management
5. Improvements
6. Water quality
Broadly, eligibility criteria, payment rates and item specifications mirror those of the previous Capital Grant Scheme, save that funding caps have been introduced to 4 of the item groups as follows:
A single agreement can include multiple Capital Items from each item group, subject to the funding caps per item group as above.
As before, you can submit only a single Capital Grants application per SBI, per year and will be eligible to apply for a second agreement including land also contained within the first (or another agreement within which Capital Items have been approved on the same parcel), so long as all previously approved Capital Items on that parcel have been completed, claimed and paid.
For further information or assistance applying under the new Capital Grant scheme, please contact us on 01823 653424.
