What is required to complete a full application

What information you will need to tell us to help your application

Separate guidance is available to help you complete a full application form.

If you are invited to submit a full application, we will send you the form and guidance about how to fill it in.

You will need to provide more details about your project in your full application. You must use the same project you used in in your online application in your full application.

We know that some minor project details may change since the online application was completed, for example, changes to project costs as they are finalised. However, the main details of the project should not be significantly different to the project details entered in the online application.

Please contact the FTF team if you wish to discuss any potential changes to your project in advance of submitting your full application.

How we assess full applications

We will carry out a more detailed assessment of your project.

We will re-check your project’s eligibility under the scheme and score how well it meets the scheme priorities and provides value for money.

The full application form

The full application form is in 2 parts. You should provide full details about you, your business and your project, including:

  • a breakdown of project costs
  • supplier details
  • key dates and project milestones
  • proposed project outputs
  • explanation of how the project will be funded
  • you will be asked to show how it will make your business more efficient and improve its productivity
  • details of your current and proposed water usage and water sources
  • details of previous similar grants
  • details of your land usage, what crops you are growing and how these are currently irrigated and how this might change as a result of your project
  • your planning consent for the project or submit evidence from the Local Planning Authority that you have applied for planning permission which must include:
  • a copy of the relevant planning application documents including plans of the proposed development that have been submitted to the Local Planning Authority (LPA)
  • written confirmation from the LPA that the submission has been received and is complete. This document must include the planning reference number allocated to your allocation
  • an indication from the LPA of the expected timescale for a decision

The construction of a reservoir or enlargement to a reservoir, construction of a pump house or installation of an underground main that crosses a public highway(s) will require planning permission. Grant funding cannot be offered to any project which does not have the relevant planning permission.

Construction of smaller reservoirs may be possible through prior notification, but larger reservoirs will need to apply for planning permission through the full application process to the LPA.

Obtaining planning permission can take time and you may not have received a decision before the application deadline for submitting a full application. It will therefore be possible for you to submit a full application without planning permission having been granted providing a planning application has been made to the LPA and the information above is provided. However, it will not be possible to offer grant funding until planning permission has been granted.

Where planning consent for your project has not been obtained before submitting your application, you must submit a copy of the planning permission to RPA by 31 December 2022. If the LPA is unable to decide your planning application before this date, your grant application will be considered ineligible and withdrawn from the scheme.

If you do not have planning permission for your project, you are advised to consult with your LPA before preparing a full application.

You must submit the relevant abstraction licence(s), or evidence from the Environment Agency (EA) that you have made a formal application for the relevant abstraction licence(s), and it has been received by them.

You will need to send us supporting information or documents appropriate to the project including:

  • financial accounts for the most recent 3 years of trading
  • latest tax returns, management accounts or a statement of income and expenses from an accountant (if you are a new business or self-employed)
  • financial and production projections
  • relevant permissions and consents including planning consent and abstraction licence(s)
  • 3 quotes, references to catalogue listings or formal tenders for each item with a value of £5,000 or more. One quote for any items with a value up to £4,999.99
  • evidence of project funding
  • if you purchase any second hand items, we need confirmation from the supplier that it has 5 year’s life and has and not received previous grant funding
  • details and draft agreement between parties where a joint venture is proposed
  • evidence (letter from Chartered accountant or HMRC) that you are able to include irrecoverable VAT in your project costs, where applicable
  • letter(s) of support from any third parties where water is to be supplied to other growers
  • a plan of your irrigation system
  • reservoir plans included as part of your planning permission