How to complete an Ambient Environment Location and Design (AELD) form

Question 1

Check your records in the Rural Payments service

Accepted Answer

Make sure that your business is registered with the Rural Payments service and has a Single Business Identifier (SBI). Your application cannot be processed without doing this.

Your application details must match your records in the Rural Payments service. If they do not, follow the guidance to update your records.

If you are an agent submitting the application on behalf of a customer, make sure that you have the correct permissions to use the Rural Payments service.

Question 2

When to apply

Accepted Answer

Complete and submit your AELD form for assessment as soon as possible after you are invited to complete it. Rural Payments Agency (RPA) must receive it before midnight on 30 April 2024.

If your AELD form is acceptable, RPA will invite you to complete a full application. The full application forms can take several months to complete and must be received before midnight on 30 April 2025.

RPA will reject any full application that misses the deadline. If the deadline is extended, we will email you to let you know.

Question 3

How to fill in the AELD form

Accepted Answer

If your project includes multiple buildings, you should complete an AELD form for each one.

Fill in every section on the form, unless the instructions say you can either type ‘N/A’ or move to the next question.

The form is a Microsoft Excel document. Only fill in the form provided, as we cannot accept information in any other format.

You can use free Open Office software to complete the AELD form, as long as you save it in the Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) format.

To do this:

select ‘Save as’ when saving the appendix spreadsheet - the ‘Save as’ box will open
select the format for the document in the ‘Save as type’ box - select the format type – Excel Workbook (.xlsx)
click ‘Save’
a dialog box may open asking you to ‘Confirm file format’ - if that happens, select ‘Confirm’

Part A: Applicant and project details

The SBI number and business details entered on the AELD form must match with those registered on the Rural Payments service. If they do not, we will not be able to assess your proposed project.

Question 1

As part of the grant requirements, you need to discuss the health and welfare of your calves and your proposed housing with your vet. You should do this as early as possible in your planning process. If you are invited to submit a full application, you will need to provide evidence from your vet that you have discussed this.

Enter Yes or No, as appropriate.

Question 2

Enter your 6 digit project reference number. This will be at the top of your invitation email to submit an AELD form.

Question 3

Enter the full legal name of the applicant business.

Question 4

Enter the full address of the applicant business, including postcode and county.

Question 5

Enter your SBI number.

Question 6

Enter the County Parish Holding number for the CTS-registered cattle holding on which your building will be based.

Question 7

Enter a reference number for the building covered by this AELD form. If you are submitting multiple forms to cover multiple buildings, you must make sure each reference number is unique to just one building, and that this reference number is clearly shown on any project site maps.

Question 8

Enter the full postcode for the proposed grant-funded calf housing. This must be for the actual location of the project building and not the main farm steading, if these are different.

Question 9

Enter the 8-digit Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference for the specific location of the proposed grant-funded calf housing. The reference should be in the form of 2 characters, followed by two sets of 4 digits, for example SE 1234 5678.

If you do not know the OS reference, you can find a 10-digit OS grid reference by using the Grid Reference Finder and right clicking on the map at the centre of the project location. The 10-digit reference can be reduced to an 8-digit reference by removing the fifth and tenth digits, for example ST1234567890 becomes ST12346789.

Question 10

Select from the drop-down options provided to tell us which direction the prevailing wind normally comes from at the site of the proposed building, for example ‘South-West’. This must be the most common wind direction at the site of the proposed building.

Part B: Site and building

Question 11

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the housing includes shared airspace with older (over 6 months) cattle.

Question 12

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the housing will be downwind of older cattle. This includes buildings and areas intended for older cattle accommodation, feeding areas, milking parlours, collecting yards and outdoor housing systems, such as feedlots or corrals and outwintering pads.

Question 13

Use the definitions and building criteria in the Ambient Environment section of the grant guidance to select from the drop-down options provided to tell us how sheltered the project location is.

Question 14

Select from the drop-down options provided to tell us what type of building is being grant-funded, for example ‘Mono-pitch’.

Site and building outcome

After you complete questions 11 to 14, the answers will be automatically assessed.

The assessment will show whether you can complete the rest of the form, or whether the details provided suggest the project is ineligible and you cannot continue with the application.

If you can proceed, the form will indicate which questions you should answer as they are relevant to the specified building type. You only need to answer questions in Part C which are marked as relevant.

Part C: Building details

Question 15

Select from the drop-down options to tell us whether the proposed grant-funded building is either a new build, or an upgrade of an existing building.

A-frame buildings (with 4 walls)

Question 16

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s long side will face the prevailing wind.

Question 16a

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s gable ends will be clad with Yorkshire boarding (pressure treated softwood).

Question 16b

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s ventilation system will meet at least the specified minimum capacity.

Question 16c

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will be used to house calves below weaning age.

Question 16d

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will meet the long wall minimum inlet area specified (0.04m² (square metres) per calf).

Question 16e

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will meet the minimum roof outlet area specified (0.04m² per calf).

Mono-pitch buildings with 3 walls and 1 open side

Question 17

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s enclosed back wall will face the prevailing wind.

Question 17a

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s ventilation system will meet at least the specified minimum capacity.

Question 17b

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will meet the specified minimum long wall inlet area (0.04m² per calf).

Question 17c

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s enclosed sides will be clad with Yorkshire boarding (pressure treated softwood).

Question 17d

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will have at least a 1m overhang on the open front wall.

Question 17e

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building’s open side will have adjacent or nearby windbreakers.

Permanent open-sided structure with igloos or hutches

Question 18

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the structure will have at least a 1m overhang on the open front wall, covering the external straw area.

Question 18a

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us about the positioning of igloos or hutches within the structure.

It is recommended that these are in a single row in a straight line.

Question 18b

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us whether the proposed igloo or hutch openings will be sheltered or exposed to the prevailing winds.

Other types of permanent non-movable building

Question 19

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the housing will be orientated to protect it from the prevailing wind.

Question 19a

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will have sufficient and suitable cladding to prevent draughts.

Question 19b

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will meet the specified minimum long wall inlet area (0.04m² per calf).

Question 19c

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will be used to house calves below weaning age.

Question 19d

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the building will have any mechanical ventilation installed.

Part D: Compliance with the minimum specification

This section checks if the ambient environment elements of the proposed calf housing building still meet the grant minimum specifications, as you confirmed in the online checker. If the project does not meet all these specifications, the application will be ineligible and cannot proceed.

Use the drop-down answer options to confirm whether your calf housing will meet the specifications.

Question 20

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. You can keep calves in isolation in special circumstances, on the advice of a veterinary professional.

Question 21

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. ‘Floor area’ refers to the total amount of space available to the calf, including the bedded lying area, standing area, and feeding or drinking areas.

Question 22

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Slatted floors and permeable base material (such as hardcore) are not eligible for funding.

Question 23

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Floors should be sloped towards drainage, with a 5% gradient.

Question 24

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Straw bedding must be derived from barley, wheat, or oats.

Question 25

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. The use of straw bales is not eligible, and the height of the solid external wall will need to take into account the size of the calves and the depth of bedding.

Question 26

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Calf housing must have facilities to temporarily isolate sick calves (for example, a temporary pen erected in an existing pen).

Question 27

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. To be eligible for funding, enrichment items must be an off-the-shelf item that is sold for cattle use, for example, hanging balls and brushes. Non-off-the-shelf items (items designed for other uses) that provide stimulation for the calf can be considered as enrichment but will not be funded by this grant, for example, cardboard boxes.

‘Enrichment’ does not include the use of straw bedding or social contact.

Question 28

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Temperature and humidity data loggers must be capable of autonomously recording data over a defined period and store data so it can be viewed after it has been recorded. Where any hardware or software is installed the initial capital cost can be funded, but any ongoing fees cannot.

Question 29

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Upgrade of electricity supply to the calf housing building is eligible for funding.

Question 30

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to tell us if the housing will include at least two weatherproof (IP66) electric sockets.

Question 31

Select ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Roof is exempt’. The following exemptions to the requirement for the roof to have the capacity to support installation of solar panels apply:

the building is listed or situated on a world heritage site
you are upgrading an existing building and would not otherwise make changes to the current roof
your only roof faces north
your roof does not have 20m² of clear roof space
your roof is heavily shaded
your roof has a pitch less than 15 degrees or greater than 50 degrees

If you are invited to submit a full application, you will need to provide evidence that the building has the claimed capacity to structurally support solar panels.

Questions 31a to 31f

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to confirm if any of the specified exemptions apply to the proposed housing.

Part E: Declaration and Important information

Please read this section and make sure that you agree with, and can meet, the requirements set out in it.

By submitting the Ambient Environment Location and Design form, you will be agreeing to the declarations.

Question 4

Submitting your AELD form and next steps

Accepted Answer

When you have completed your form, email it to FTF@rpa.gov.uk.

The email addresses used to submit the AELD form must match with those held in the Rural Payments service, with permission to make legal changes or full permissions for the applicant business. If an agent or consultant sends the form for you, they must copy you into the email, using the email address you give us in Part 1.

Do not send any supporting documents with your AELD form submission. We will ask you by email if we need you to do so later.

RPA will assess all forms received before the deadline. If your proposed project passes the AELD assessment, we will invite you to complete the full application form and appendix. If your proposed project does not pass the assessment, we will let you know by email.

If you are asked for more information

In some cases, we will need to refer your AELD information to an expert assessor. If that happens, we will contact you to ask you to send us some further information so they can make a recommendation. Do not send this information with your AELD form.

This information may include:

a map showing the exact location of the planned Calf Housing building - this should show the same grid reference as that quoted on the AELD form
dated aerial photograph of the location of the proposed building in relation to other buildings and features - this could be from Google Earth
a plan of the proposed building (can be a sketch plan), showing approximate dimensions, internal walls and indication of any proposed shared use
a plan of the site of the proposed building showing its location in relation to other buildings and their use - the plan must have arrows showing North and the direction of the prevailing wind at the site, and show any sheltering features (such as buildings, hills or lines of trees)
dated photographs of the proposed building or site, taken from different perspectives (at minimum North, South, East and West), and showing the location of the building, its distance from other buildings and any sheltering features
details of the building specifications, if they do not follow the ambient environment criteria asked in Part C or your building is ‘Other’, demonstrating how the housing will ensure a suitable protection and ventilation for the calves

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