Andy Parsons, chief executive of Cotswolds National Landscape, tells us more about renewed funding available for farmers and landowners in the Cotswolds.
Success story so far
Since the launch of the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme in 2021, it has gone from strength to strength in the Cotswolds. We have supported 81 projects so far, and the total project value of these is £3.3million – a huge investment in the Cotswolds.
Project applicants have been amazing, and have applied with a huge range of projects in response to the funding themes of climate, nature, people and place. We’re also very pleased to have seen applications from the farming community which represent a good range of farm types, sizes and locations. Feedback has been very positive too – farmers appreciate the scheme’s flexibility and local administration, and having our dedicated FiPL team on hand to support the process has been very well received.
New opportunities
Defra has acknowledged the success of the FiPL programme nationally, and in response has extended the programme period. It will now run for an additional year – until March 2025. This means more time for applicants to get in touch and apply for project funding. Here, the allocation for the Cotswolds National Landscape has been increased by an additional £2 million, and this must be spent by March 2025. Grants can still be made up to £250,000. This is a huge opportunity for farmers and land managers to make the most of the available funding.
Help is at hand
We’ve seen projects from market gardens, to orchard restoration, to accessible farm tracks, to soil health analysis – and everything in between. Our FiPL team is here to help applicants with their initial ideas, and support them as they progress through the application process. Having helped projects within each of the funding themes – climate, nature, people, and place – they know the programme inside and out.
Get in touch
If you have a project in mind, and are considering applying for a FiPL grant, please get in touch. The team will be happy to help.
If you’d like to find out more, visit the Farming section at www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk
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