Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this item is to restore floodplains to help manage flood risk and benefit biodiversity.

This will be achieved through the removal, lowering or breaching of embankments.

Re-connecting the floodplain will dissipate the energy of flood waters and provide space for flood water to be stored, thus helping to reduce flood risk downstream.

Any land adjacent to a watercourse with an embankment designed to prevent flooding is eligible.

You can check if this item is available on your holding here.

You must prepare a plan showing the locations of the embankment(s) you propose to remove or lower on a map, and detailing how spoil material will be disposed of and how vegetation will be reinstated.

• you must remove or lower all or part of the embankments that are no longer required as a defence, as detailed in your plan
• you must reinstate vegetative cover on any bare ground remaining after the embankment is removed, unless you have approval not to do so

• you must have completed all the necessary pre-works assessments and designs, and obtained all relevant permissions / approvals, prior to commencing the works and submitted these with the claim

Payment will be made on an actual cost basis, upon completion of the work.

You can choose one of the following management options to support river bank removal:

• Wetland Management
• Converting Arable at Risk of Erosion or Flooding to Low-input Grassland
• Species-rich Grassland Management
• Management of Floodplains

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work
• you have reinstated vegetative cover on any bare ground remaining after the embankment is removed, unless you have approval not to do so

Supporting guidance is available for this item.

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