{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/feasibility-study-pa2","content_id":"74e55811-909b-47ef-bbb0-2e686548622b","description":"Find out about eligibility and requirements for the feasibility study item.","details":{"body":"<div class=\"example\">\n  <p>You must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-plans-2026\">Capital grants plans 2026</a> guidance to understand the rules and how to apply for this capital item.</p>\n</div>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-much-youll-be-paid\">How much you’ll be paid</h2>\n\n<p>Up to 100% of actual costs</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment\">How this item benefits the environment</h2>\n\n<p>This plan will help you identify the works you should complete to create or restore habitat or features. The work may:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>improve biodiversity</li>\n  <li>improve water quality</li>\n  <li>help with carbon capture</li>\n  <li>improve climate adaptation</li>\n  <li>enhance priority habitats</li>\n  <li>improve the historic environment</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"where-you-can-use-this-item\">Where you can use this item</h2>\n\n<p>With written permission from Natural England or the Forestry Commission, you can use this item:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>as a standalone agreement to support a Higher Tier capital grant or Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (<abbr title=\"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier\">CSHT</abbr>) application or agreement to develop a management plan for complex situations or sites</li>\n  <li>to set out requirements for capital items where there is no standard specification</li>\n  <li>to explain how you might create or extend agreements across different holdings (including common land)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>With written permission from Historic England, you can use this item as a standalone agreement to support an application for capital item <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/historic-and-archaeological-feature-protection-he1\">HE1: Historic and archaeological feature protection</a>.</p>\n\n<p>If you’re applying for a successive PA2 on the same land for the same project, you must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>provide evidence of what outcomes were achieved in previous years</li>\n  <li>explain why you need funding for a new feasibility study, for example, to respond to a change in dynamic river or coastal habitats</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item\">What you must do to use this item</h2>\n\n<p>You must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>agree who’s the responsible body supporting your application (Natural England or the Forestry Commission, or Historic England only with HE1 capital item applications)</li>\n  <li>produce a detailed brief for the feasibility study and agree this with the responsible body</li>\n  <li>provide the responsible body with at least 3 written quotations with specifications for preparing the study including any associated costs</li>\n  <li>agree the selected quotation and grant contribution with the responsible body</li>\n  <li>commission the feasibility study with the selected provider and make sure it’s completed in line with the specification by an agreed date</li>\n  <li>submit a copy of the completed PA2: Feasibility study with your claim for approval</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>The detailed requirements for this item will be adapted to your site. You should discuss and agree these requirements with your adviser.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"evidence-you-must-keep\">Evidence you must keep</h2>\n\n<p>You must keep and provide with your claim:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>consents or permissions connected with the work</li>\n  <li>receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not available (if applicable)</li>\n  <li>a copy of the feasibility study</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-plans-2026/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-plans-2026\">Agreement holder’s guide: Capital grants plans 2026</a> for more information.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"other-items-you-can-use-with-this-item\">Other items you can use with this item</h2>\n\n<p>You can use this item to plan for works to support the development of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement, as well as other capital items such as <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/major-preparatory-works-for-priority-habitats-creation-and-restoration-and-priority-species-fm2\">FM2: Carry out customised capital works to manage specific sites or species</a> and <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/implementation-plan-pa1\">PA1: Implementation plan</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"advice-to-help-you-use-this-item\">Advice to help you use this item</h2>\n\n<p>The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"climate-change\">Climate change</h3>\n\n<p>You should consider the local effects of climate change when planning works.</p>\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"Added references to Historic England through page","public_timestamp":"2024-05-09T12:47:36Z"},{"note":"If you have written permission from Catchment Sensitive Farming, this item is now available to aid a Mid Tier application when applying for SW15 Flood mitigation on arable reversion to grassland and SW16 Flood mitigation on permanent grassland.","public_timestamp":"2023-03-13T14:03:22Z"},{"note":"'How this item will benefit the environment' section updated.","public_timestamp":"2022-02-01T15:02:40Z"},{"note":"Information updated for applications in 2016.","public_timestamp":"2016-03-31T15:25:13Z"},{"note":"Update to 'keeping records' section.","public_timestamp":"2015-10-14T12:55:17Z"},{"note":"First 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