LATEST INFORMATION

DEFRA launches £20 million of funding under the new Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme

The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has launched a new scheme to fund projects that meet one of the following objectives

• Improve animal health and welfare
• Reduce energy usage
• Improve the management of manures/farm nutrients
• Improve Soil Quality
• Improve Water Resource Management
• Improve use of Forestry Resources

The FFIS is a competitive scheme and provides funding for investment in capital items. Funding will support up to 40% of the value of the scheme. The minimum grant available per application is £2,500 and the maximum available is £25,000.

The application period for the 1st Round of funding opened today (16th November) and will remain open until the17th January 2012. Applications are to be made using an electronic application form, which is available online on the DEFRA website.

For further advice on the funding available and the capital items they are supporting or for guidance on completing the application form please contact a member of the Agriculture team on: 01285 648106

Update on Sewage Discharge Regulations

Since the announcement that a review was being undertaken for the registration of Small Sewage Discharges, Position Statement 116 has been released by the Environment Agency providing guidance on the requirements during the consultation process.  In summary you will not be required to undertake any form of registration at this point:

• Where discharge is to ground and is 2m3 per day or less via a septic tank and infiltration system and is outside a Source Protection Zone;
• Where discharge is to surface water and is of 5m3 per day or less via a package sewage treatment plant;
• Where sewage is only domestic;
• Where the system is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and records are kept;
• Where discharge does not cause pollution of surface water or groundwater.

We are likely to see a further review on this by December 2012. However the Environment Agency may take enforcement action where it is thought that it is likely to have caused pollution.

If you would like any further advice on this matter please contact Ashley Groombridge on 01285

16/09/2011

Deadline for Septic Tank registration postponed until further notice.

DEFRA announced on the 16th August a review of the Septic Tank registration requirements. Therefore the January 2012 compulsory registration period deadline has been postponed.

We will update our website with further details once DEFRA has made a further announcement.

Renewable Heat Premium Payments

The Government has just launched a new scheme to bridge the gap until the introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Green Deal for domestic properties in September 2012.


Please click here for the complete article

The Renewable Heat Incentive

Introduced for Non-Domestic properties from July 2011 and for Domestic properties from October 2012.

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