New grant open for applicaitons

A new grant intended to help land owners and managers plan new woodland in England is open for applications.

The Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) will contribute towards the costs of gathering and analysing information to ensure proposals take account of potential impacts on landscape, water, and the historic environment. It will also help support stakeholder engagement and understanding.

From my experience of planting schemes, the planning phase can often involve significant expense, so aid at this early stage is welcome.  The forestry sector’s ambition for more woodland in England will be helped by this scheme, making it easier to create woodland and secure funding from investors.

Applications will be considered as they are submitted and it makes sense to apply as early as possible while the limited funds are still available.

The grant is part of the new £1 million Forestry Innovation Fund and £200,000 has been allocated for the WCPG fund this year. The funding and administration of the grant is separate from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and the deadline for applications is February 15, allowing time following allocation of a grant for the plan to be completed before March 31, when funding for this pilot scheme closes.

The plan should describe and address the planting scheme’s impacts through careful design. Land managers need to ensure their proposals take account of any impacts on forestry and the natural environment, landscape, water and the historic environment.

The Standard Payment is £150 per hectare up to a maximum of £30,000. It covers the collection and analysis of all essential information to create an informed plan. Proposals need to meet some basic criteria, covering at least 30 hectares and showing potential to benefit the forestry sector in the long-term through the provision of timber or other wood products.

However, not many people interested in taking advantage of a grant will want to take 30 hectares of land out of agricultural production. 

A plot of 30 hectares or more can have a major visual impact on the landscape which may raise concerns at the planning stage.  Also, planting woodland is a very long-term commitment requiring a significant capital outlay with a limited financial return that will not come to fruition for many years. 

It will very often be the grandchildren’s generation who will be the first to see a sensible return.  In addition, in most instances planting woodland on all but the worst agricultural land will have a significant detrimental impact on its capital value.

Therefore I think relatively few landowners may be interested in this grant scheme but further information, including details on eligibility and how to apply, can be found on Forestry Commission England’s website at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england-fif

James Stephen MRICS FAAV
Partner
Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor, Wells
T: 01749 683381
E: james.stephen@carterjonas.co.uk