 Trent Vale Landscape Partnership Scheme
Official Start Date Agreed!
The 13th January 2010 is the official start date for the TVLP Scheme. The new project team will start to come in to place from early February and we hope to issue a newsletter soon which will detail the initial projects and how you can get involved.
Rob Fitzsimons, 5th January 2010
Proposed Grant Scheme For Farmers and Landowners
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FULL GUIDANCE TEXT
One part of proposals for TVLP is a small heritage grants scheme for farmers and landowners. In order to meet the requirements for exemption for this scheme under State Aid regulations we have loaded the full guidance notes on this website at the bottome of the page. Alternatively the text can be downloaded as a word document - CLICK HERE FOR FULL TEXT - WORD DOCUMENT.
Images of Trent Vale
Photographer Penny Fillingham spent several weeks over the autumn of 2008 photographing people, places and activities in Trent Vale. A selection of these images can be seen by following this link penny's pictures. If you have any images that you think represent the essence of what is important about Trent Vale - we want to see them. You can send them to us electronically or by post - see the bottom of the page for details.
TV GUIDE
The latest version of our newsletter is now available for download, simply click on the link below. If you would like a printed copy of the newsletter please contact the Project Officer.
Click here to download Summer 2009 TV GUIDE
TVLP - Background Information
The River Trent in the Trent Vale is now often hidden from view and difficult to visit, therefore Trentside communities have become disconnected from this natural feature which has influenced where and how they live.
The Trent Vale Landscape Partnership aims to increase awareness about the river, its surrounding lands and its heritage, and to improve access for people to the river. This will be achieved by the development of a number of programmes and projects through the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Trent Vale Landscape Partnership area follows the course of the River Trent from Newark in the South to East/West Stockwith (north of Gainsborough) and covers 388 square kilometres (click here to see a diagram of the area). The area boundary encompasses 55 parishes, that are adjacent the river, with a combined population of 68,000.
Partners and Funding
The key partners involved in Trent Vale include: Bassetlaw District Council, British Waterways, BTCV, English Heritage, Natural England, Environment Agency, Groundwork, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, OnTrent Initiative, RSPB and West Lindsey District Council.
The Development stage of Trent Vale Landscape Partnership scheme is being supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund together with contributions from British Waterways, Environment Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Further Information
For more information about Trent Vale and volunteering for projects please contact trentvale@britishwaterways.co.uk or call 01636 704481.
The Trent Vale Landscape Partnership Scheme
Guidance Notes for farmers and land owners.
Introduction
This document explains the work and objectives of the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership (TVLP) scheme.
Two of the measures of assistance available to agricultural/rural businesses through the scheme constitute Agricultural State Aid:
1) Capital Grants for conservation of traditional landscape features
2) Technical support towards conservation measures.
The purpose of these guidance notes is to assist agricultural/rural businesses to define these measures and to describe the application process in order to ensure compliance with State Aid rules.
What is the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership scheme?
The Trent Vale is one of Nottinghamshires defining landscape features. It is a distinctive landscape shaped by its working past, its key location and the power of the River Trent. It is a fascinating story of development which in the past helped achieve a strong sense of ownership and place amongst the local community, and which has the potential to excite, educate and inspire both locals and visitors.
The Vision
The Vision for the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership scheme is to build upon the strengths of Trent Vale to create a place where:
- there are a variety of high quality areas for people to access and enjoy;
- both locals and visitors understand and embrace the distinctive character of Trent Vale;
- through partnerships across public and private sectors and sensitive stewardship agreements, traditional methods of landscape management and farming practices are employed to conserve and restore the rural character of the Trent Vale landscape;
- there is a mosaic of different habitats which support a rich diversity of flora and fauna of national importance;
- there is appropriate restoration of mineral extraction sites that contribute to the development of varied and priority habitat rich wetland areas;
- there is a wide understanding of the historic environment which is celebrated through the retention of traditional skills, sensitive landscape management to conserve and enhance key heritage features, education and interpretation;
- both the local community and visitors understand the evolution of the area and assist in its sustainable development;
- new enterprises to provide local products and develop traditional crafts are encouraged.
How is the vision for Trent Vale to be delivered?
The vision for Trent Vale will be delivered through the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership (TVLP). This is a group of public and voluntary sector organisations who share the vision and will work together and with the wider community to turn ideas into achievable, practical projects on the ground.
What support is available to agricultural/rural businesses?
The TVLP will operate a number of programmes and is able to help a wide range of businesses, individuals and community groups to further the objectives the Trent Vale Landscape strategy.
Assistance from the TVLP scheme to agricultural/rural businesses in the form of Agricultural State Aid is available through the Habitats and Heritage programme.
The Habitats and Heritage programme is designed to assist Small and Medium Enterprises (*SMEs) who are carrying out agricultural activities on land to conserve and enhance the exceptional landscape quality, biodiversity and cultural heritage of the Trent Vale. Assistance is available through two separate measures:
Project Title Project Type
1. Heritage Grants scheme Capital
2. Advice and Training Technical Support - assistance / training
1. Heritage Grant Schemes - Capital Projects
What work is considered eligible and who can apply?
The purpose of the Heritage Grant scheme is to provide support for projects which contribute to the conservation or enhancement of the exceptional landscape quality, biodiversity or cultural heritage of the Trent Vale.
Examples of projects that could receive grant aid are as follows:-
Creation of ponds, scrapes etc which will enhance wet grassland habitats.
Restoration of ponds.
Re-profiling wet ditches to enhance and re-establish habitat links in wet grassland.
The installation of sluices and other structures to improve water management on wet grassland
Fencing of heritage / archaeological sites to prevent grazing by livestock.
Restoration of traditional field boundaries e.g. hedge planting, gapping up
Traditional management of hedges e.g. hedge laying.
Traditional management of riparian trees e.g. pollarding
Ground preparation and establishment works for small scale tree planting (wet woodland) on productive grassland or arable.
Permissive access works e.g. gates, interpretation boards
Reversion of arable land to wet grassland for both biodiversity gain and protection of subterranean archaeological features
Creation of reedbeds, fen and marsh on arable or improved grassland
Management of existing carr woodland to enhance its conservation value
Creation and management of heathland on the blown sands
Temporary water troughs / fencing.
Applications are invited from agricultural/rural business within the TVLP area (see map). Only small and medium-sized enterprises (*SME) are eligible for the scheme.
*SMEs are defined in Commission Recommendation EC No 364/2004, being enterprises which:
- have fewer than 250 employees;
- have either an annual turnover not exceeding 50 million or an annual balance sheet not exceeding 43 million; and
- conform to specified criteria of independence (in general, not more than 25% of an SME can be owned by other companies)
Applicants will need to prove eligibility under the scheme i.e. located within the Trent Vale project area and classified as as an SME.
How and when do I apply?
Potential grant applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposals with the TVLP team prior to submitting an application. This will enable the TVLP team to make an initial assessment of eligibility and provide some early feedback and comments. Where appropriate, this will be followed up with a site visit to help applicants develop their proposals. Eligible applicants will then complete and submit an application form.
In some cases it may be more appropriate for landowners to apply for Environmental Stewardship, in which case the Advisor will support them to do this.
Applications will be accepted from 1st January 2010. Please note the closing date for submission of applications is 30 June 2012.
The Heritage Grants scheme is competitive. All applications will be assessed on a quarterly basis by a panel from the TVLP Habitats and Heritage group using a standard scoring system. The panel will meet in April, July, October and January each year.
Each application will be judged on how well the project contributes to the conservation or enhancement of the landscape quality, biodiversity, archaeology or cultural heritage of the Trent Vale.
When can I start work and how will I be paid?
If your application is successful, a formal offer of grant aid will be made within 4 weeks of the panel meeting. The grant offer will be secured by written agreements between the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership and the beneficiary, which will ensure the long-term continuity and sustainability of each scheme. Any offer of grant aid will be made on the understanding that no work will be carried out until the written agreements are formalised.
Grant can be claimed once work has been completed. Payments will be made by TVLP on the receipt of a completed claim form and receipted invoices or other proof of expenditure, in accordance with Financial Regulations.
If works are not undertaken in accordance with the agreement, TVLP may reclaim the grant.
If your application is unsuccessful we will contact you and explain why.
What is the level of funding?
The rate of grant for capital works will normally be 50% of eligible costs. In certain circumstances e.g. exceptional heritage benefits, capital grants may be paid up to 100% of eligible costs, so long as the investment is intended for the conservation of non-productive heritage features provided the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm.
2. Advice and Training Technical Support
The purpose of the technical support, including advice and training, is to encourage and assist farmers and other land managers to conserve and enhance the special landscape quality, biodiversity, and cultural heritage of the Trent Vale.
This measure includes technical support provided in the following ways:
Providing advice (which may be over the phone or in person on farm visits), both bespoke and general on traditional conservation management that aims to further the aims and objectives of the TVLP.
Organising training seminars, workshops and practical demonstrations on farms, to explain traditional conservation techniques.
Topics on which this technical support will be available include:
Optimal management of wetland sites to meet environmental objectives (covering the timing of grazing and number of grazing animals, the timing of cutting, weed control measures, scrub control and water management).
Optimal management of field boundaries (hedgerows) and woodland to enhance landscape character and biodiversity, and to maintain traditional countryside management skills.
Conservation management of ditches and watercourses to enhance biodiversity (both habitats and species), protect cultural heritage and meet necessary flood control requirements
Recognition, protection and optimal management and interpretation of archaeological / heritage features
Informal access provision
Livestock husbandry for conservation grazing and grazing management
Information about training courses and seminars, organised by the Trent Vale Partnership scheme and other providers, on all the above topics.
Sources of financial support to land managers, available from the TVLP and other providers, for all the above topics.
The contact details for contractors and other suitable businesses who may be able to undertake work recommended on the above topics.
Technical support will be provided by the TVLP and will be available to all farmers / land managers within the TVLP area. Details of training courses and events will be direct mailed to farmers/land managers within the project area and published on the TVLP website at www.ontrent.org.uk/youcando/trentvale.php
Advice and training for farmers / land managers will be provided free of charge.
Level of Funding
The maximum level of funding for technical support e.g. in the form of advice or training, will be 100% of the eligible costs of the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership scheme but the beneficiaries will not receive any direct payments.
To apply for assistance or for further information
Farmers and landowners who wish to apply for either the capital grants or technical assistance or would like further information about the TVLP scheme should contact:
Trent Vale Project Manager
c/o British Waterways
The Kiln
Mather Road
NEWARK
Nottinghamshire
NG14 1FB
Further information about the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership scheme can be found at the TVLP pages on the OnTrent website:
www.ontrent.org.uk/youcando/trentvale.php
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