Guidance

How to complete your Protection and Infrastructure grant application by email or post

Updated 7 December 2023

Applies to England

Before you apply, check the applicant’s guide to make sure you’re eligible.

To submit your application by email or post, you’ll need to complete an:

• application form
• map to support your application

Complete your form

Download the Countryside Stewardship: Protection and Infrastructure Grant application form from GOV.UK.

If you cannot access GOV.UK, request a copy of the application form by email at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk or telephone on 03000 200 301.

If you’ve received the form by email, save it to your computer and fill in the form on your screen.

If you’ve received the form by post:

• use black ink and write in capital letters (do not use pencil or felt-tip pen)
• do not cross through whole pages or remove pages
• correct mistakes and initial and date them (do not use correction fluid)
• completely fill any checkbox containing a mistake and put an ’X’ or a tick in the correct box

You must sign your application at section 7 if you are submitting a paper application by post.

Section 1: applicant details

1: Enter your name, or the name of the agreement holder of the Woodland Creation Plan orWoodland Management Plan (WMP) that will be used in support of this application.

2: You can find your Single Business Identifier (SBI) on your Woodland Management Plan or Woodland Creation Plan agreement.

3: Enter the agreement title, for example the land or farm name. This must match the agreement title entered on the application form.

4: Enter the county where the woodland in your application is located. If your woodland crosses a boundary give the county where the greater proportion is found.

5: Tick the box to confirm if you’re VAT registered or not.

6: Tick the box if you have sent us a land ownership and control form. You need to send us a LOC if you do not have management control over all the land included in this application for the duration of the proposed agreement.
Download the land ownership and control form from GOV.UK. If you cannot access GOV.UK request a copy of the form by telephone on 03000 200 301.

Section 2: Supporting documentation and permissions

7: Enter the lead applicant’s full name.

8: Confirm if the agreement holder will be conducting the work. We can only pay for 80% of the awarded grant amount if the work is conducted by you or your employees.

9: Tell us the name of the Forestry Commission area that the woodland in your application is located. If your woodland crosses a boundary, select the area in which the greater amount is found. See Forestry Commission office access and opening hours on GOV.UK for more information.

10: Enter a 6-figure OS grid reference for the central point of the woodland, formatted as 2 letters followed by a space, 3 digits, a space and then the final 3 digits. For example, GR 123 456.

11: Tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ depending on whether you’ve discussed the project with your local planning authority. If ‘Yes’ go to 11 (a), if ‘No’ go to 11 (b).

Find information about planning permission on GOV.UK.

11 (a): Tick ‘Yes’ if the local planning authority have confirmed that you will need planning permission. Go to Question 12. Tick ‘No’ if you do not require planning permission from the local planning authority and continue to Question11 (b).

11(b): Will the project be undertaken via permitted development? If ‘Yes’, provide evidence from your local authority when submitting your claim. You will also need to advise your local Forestry Commission Woodland Officer that you have contacted your local planning authorities when you apply. If planning permission is required, please provide evidence of granted planning permission from your local authority when submitting your claim. See section 4.5.5 of the applicant’s guide for more information.

12: Enter the Forestry Commission reference number for your approved WMP or Woodland Creation Plan. This is usually a 5-digit number. You must have a WMP approved or approved in principle by the Forestry Commission before you submit your initial application.

You will also need Forestry Commission approval and a valid reference number for WMPs that have not been funded through the Forestry Commission (for example, via UKWAS 33 certification ).

If you do not have your reference number, contact your local Forestry Commission Woodland Officer.

13: Confirm if you have had an operational site assessment (OSA). An OSA is a checklist that may be used when planning forest operations such as harvesting or civil engineering work.

See guidance on managing and protecting woodland wildlife for more information.

14: Confirm if any of the land in your application contains a special area of conservation (SAC) or a tree preservation order (TPO).

Section 3: Application (Land parcels and length of road)

Land parcel

The land parcel reference is the OS map sheet reference and National Grid field number. It must contain a 10-character reference, made up of 2 letters, 4 numbers and the final 4 numbers indicating the centre of the land parcel (for example, LP12345678). We need the whole reference to identify the land parcel.

SSSI or SM Designation

State yes or no whether a land parcel contains a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) or a scheduled monument.

See section 4.5.6 of the applicant’s guide for more information.

Type of road on this land parcel

You can find information about types of tracks in ‘Table 1: Description of Tracks’ in the Operations Note 25 on GOV.UK.

Total length of road (approximate)

This is the length of your road in meters when it has been completed.

Section 4: FY2 Woodland Infrastructure

Agents Fees

An agent in this context is someone who either manages the construction project or helps find the right contractor or quotes. This is not to be mistaken for an agent who fills out your RPA online claim or your application form on your behalf.

Quotations 1 to 3

Enter 3 contractors’ quotes including the:

• contractor name
• fee amount excluding VAT
• VAT amount (enter ‘0’ if no VAT is charged) – the total amounts will be calculated automatically in the ‘Total’ box

If you are claiming agents’ fees, enter the agent name, the fee amount excluding VAT and the VAT amount (please enter ‘0’ if no VAT is charged). The total will be calculated automatically.

Selected quotation and quotation reference

Choose the quote and enter a quotation reference (for example, the name of the contractor).

Justification for selection

Explain why you have selected this quote. The cheapest quote is preferred.

If you are only applying for FY2 Woodland Infrastructure, go to section 7 to complete the declarations and undertakings.

Section 5: Beaver Protection supporting documents and permissions

15 (a): Farmers and land managers can apply for BC3 Crop Protection mesh wire fencing for permanent crops and BC4 Tree guard post and wire for a tree that has commercial, amenity or ornamental value, where they:

• are growing on land in one of the eligible catchment areas listed in the table in the application form
• and are within 100 metres of a water body or watercourse

Farmers and land managers can apply for BC5 Expert beaver dam management if the dam is located in one of the eligible catchment areas.

Tick the relevant box to confirm the catchment area. If your catchment area is not listed go to 15 (b).

15 (b): Complete text box and enter the catchment area and name of the water body or watercourse.

15 (c): You must obtain advice from the Flood Risk Management Authority (Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Board or lead local flood authority) and submit a copy of the advice with your completed application. See Flood and coastal erosion: risk management authorities

Will any permissions or permits be required? If yes tick the ‘yes’ box and go to 16. If no, tick the ‘no’ box and go to question 17.

Section 6: Beaver capital items included in this application

16 (a): If you are applying for BC3 and BC4 standard cost capital items, complete the table. The following information will help you to complete it.

Land parcel

The land parcel reference is the OS map sheet reference and National Grid field number. It must contain a 10-character reference, made up of 2 letters, 4 numbers and the final 4 numbers indicating the centre of the land parcel (for example, LP12345678). We need the whole reference to identify the land parcel.

SSSI or SM designation

Enter ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to tell us if a land parcel contains an SSSI or scheduled monument.

See section 4.5.6 of the applicant’s guide for more information.

Total land parcel size

Enter the total size of the land parcel in hectares.

Option Group: Beavers BC3 or BC4

Capital item	Quantity	Payment rate per metre per item
BC3	Number of metres of fencing	£3.20 per m
BC4	Number of tree guards	£84 per tree guard

16 (b): If you are applying for BC5 actual cost capital items, complete the field parcel table.

16 (c): Complete the table giving details of the quotes you have submitted. If you have only been able to provide one quote, please explain why. We can only accept one quote where there is a reasonable justification for doing so.

Section 7: Declaration and undertakings

Complete this section to confirm that you have read and understood the requirements of the CS Protection and Infrastructure grant scheme and the undertakings that you are making when submitting your application.

Read the declaration, undertakings and warning carefully.

Sign in the box, and enter your name in block letters, your capacity (for example, sole trader, company director, agent) and the date you’re signing the application.

If you’re submitting your application by email you do not need to sign the application.

Before you submit your application, make sure you must have the correct permission levels in the Rural Payments service.

Prepare a map to support your application

You need to provide a map which shows all areas of proposed woodland creation and associated capital items with your application. If your application is successful and we offer you an agreement, the map you sent with the application will become the ‘Agreement Map’, so it needs to be clear, legible and meet the minimum mapping standards.

How to prepare a map for your FY2 Woodland Infrastructure application

You can create the application map yourself (as long as it meets the minimum mapping standards, or you can request one from the Forestry Commission map request service. The agreement map needs to reflect the details recorded in the CS Protection and Infrastructure application form. You must make sure that all land parcels and their land parcel reference numbers are listed and include any areas of open space within the area proposed for grant support.

Integral open space must be limited to 20% of the total woodland area and individual areas of open space must not be more than 0.5 hectares. Areas larger than this can only be proposed in exceptional circumstances, and you should discuss this with your FC officer. Open space includes forest tracks, rides, wayleaves and other permanent open areas.

As part of your application, supporting maps for the woodland creation plan should contain more detailed information about the woodland creation, for example, stocking density, species, rides and open areas. Supporting maps should be based on OS maps or Geographical Information System (GIS)-generated digital maps. If you are using a GIS based map, add a scale bar to the map so that this can be used to measure lengths.

You are responsible for providing updated maps if there are any changes agreed to your application.

Minimum mapping standards

Application maps must:

• be based on a scale of 1:2500 or 1:5000 or for large schemes 1:10000
• show the whole land parcel on which the capital items to be included are located
• show the location of the proposed capital works (mark the capital items with a coloured pen and list the capital item codes next to them) – this includes proposed planting areas
• show any proposed areas of open space within the proposed planting areas
• show fence lines – stating which type of fence (code) you are applying for

You must also:

• number each map and include the total number of maps you’re submitting (for example, ‘map 1 of 3’)
• write your Single Business Identifier (SBI) consisting of 9 digits, the application year, and agreement title (as detailed on the application form) on the top right of the map
• write the name of business or applicant on the right-hand side of the map – this should be the name (beneficiary) that is registered with us for the SBI
• write a 6-figure OS grid reference for the centre of the map on the bottom left of the map, if there are no numbered OS grid lines
• cross out any mistakes – do not use correction fluid

If you send a map that does not meet these standards, we will send you a base map to mark up and return.

Submit your application

Email or post all sections of the completed application form.

You must:

• put your SBI and Application ID on everything you send to us
• have the correct permission level (at least ‘CS Applications – Submit’) in the Rural Payments service

Submit by email

Submit your application by email if you received your application form by email. ‘Reply’ to the email, attaching your completed documents to it.

You’ll need to scan the completed maps and supporting documents first.

By ‘replying’ to the email we sent to you, rather than sending us a new email, your application will be automatically forwarded to the correct team and will not wait in a queue to be sorted manually.

If you downloaded your application form or received it by post, you can submit it by email.

Scan all the documents, attach them to an email and send the email to ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk. You must:

• put ‘CS Protection and Infrastructure Agri-environment application 2023’ as the subject of your email
• put your SBI number in your email and on everything you attach to the email
• make sure that the email address you’re sending your application from is registered for your business in the Rural Payments service

Submit by post

If you received your application form by post and cannot submit it by email, you can post it to:

Rural Payments Agency (Countryside Stewardship)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

Remember to sign your paper application (section 5) before you submit it.

We recommend that you get proof of posting for any documents you send to us by post.

You should keep a copy of everything you send to us.

How to submit your supporting documents or evidence

You can scan and email all the documents to RPA.

You must put your SBI on all documents.

The maximum size of emails we can accept is 32MB.

If the email exceeds this limit, please send a further email and use the same subject heading. Add the number of emails at the end of the subject heading, for example, 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3.

For security reasons, we cannot accept discs, USB pen drives or other external storage media.

You can submit digital photos by email, but do not scan printed photos as the quality is not good enough.

Or you can post the documents to :

Rural Payments Agency (Countryside Stewardship)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

How we handle your data

For information on how we handle personal data see the Rural Payments Agency personal information charter on GOV.UK.