The deadline for applications to the Farming in Protected Landscape programme has now been extended for another three years.
The deadline for applications was due to fall this month, but has now been extended by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) until March 2029. Applications will close sooner if all funding is allocated.
Farmers and landowners in national landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), national parks, and the Broads are eligible for funding under Defra’s Agricultural Transitional Plan for 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;
- Protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape or place.
This includes farmers and land managers from the public, private and charity sector. The programme is also open to farmers and land managers on land outside of protected landscapes.
Protected landscapes
To be eligible, the project must benefit the protected landscape or the protected landscape body’s objectives, or partnership initiatives.
Applicants must manage all the land included in the application, have control of all the activities they would like to do, or must have written consent from all parties who manage or control the land.
Common land is eligible for this funding. Applicants can apply as a landowner with sole rights or as a group of commoners acting together.
According to Defra, the programme will pay for projects that provide value for money and result in at least one climate, nature, people or place outcome.
Projects must also support the priorities of the protected landscape body’s management plan, the department said.
Applicants could get up to 100% of the costs of a project if they will not make a commercial gain from it, if there is a commercial benefit, the programme will fund a proportion of the costs.
More information and further details on the programme are available from Defra.
