Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme

Date published: 1 February, 2016

*Please note: This scheme is now closed for new applications. If you require any further information, please contact afrs@gov.scot or call 0300 244 9985.*

The Agricultural Floodbank Repair Scheme provides funding to farmers to help repair man-made floodbanks damaged by flooding between 5 December, 2015 and 9 January, 2016.

Grants will be awarded up to a maximum of £20,000 per farm business. However, this may require to be adjusted downwards depending on the number and value of applications received for the scheme.

The legal base for the Agricultural Floodbank Repair Scheme is The Small Landholders (Scotland) Act 1911, sections 4 and 6.

This scheme is exempt from state aid under Article 30 “Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters in the agricultural sector” of the Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation (EU) No 702/2014.

Farmers whose man-made floodbanks were damaged by flooding between 5 December, 2015 and 9 January, 2016 in the following local authority areas are eligible to apply:

  • Aberdeenshire
  • Angus
  • City of Aberdeen
  • Dumfries and Galloway
  • East Ayrshire
  • Perth and Kinross
  • Scottish Borders
  • Stirling
  • South Lanarkshire

The scheme covers the cost of repairing man-made floodbanks on farms affected by flooding between 5 December, 2015 and 9 January, 2016. The scheme uses standard costs per linear metre of floodbank repaired.

There are three rates depending on the height of the floodbank. The standard costs have been calculated using an independently verified methodology.

The standard rates that can be applied for are:

Height Rate for repair
Less than two metres (<2 metres)£100 per linear metre
Greater than two metres but less than three metres (>2 metres and <3 metres)£235 per linear metre
Greater than three metres (>3 metres)£400 per linear metre

Farmers should fill in the application form to tell RPID the size and location of the damaged floodbank that they wish to apply for funding to repair.

Farmers should email their completed form (along with supporting evidence) to afrs@gov.scot as soon as possible and by Monday, 29 February, 2016.

This will help RPID to process the application more quickly. We will not be able to accept forms received after this date.

When you complete your form:

  • complete all the required and relevant sections of the form
  • farmers must provide the information and complete the relevant sections of the form in full – otherwise it may delay the processing of the application
  • if you need more help, please call 0300 244 9985 or 0300 244 9764
  • the electronic application form is not an online application, it is a form that can be downloaded and saved to your computer and once completed can be emailed to afrs@gov.scot along with the necessary supporting information
  • click on each of the entry boxes on the form and type the information in. It is possible to go back to the box and change the selection if necessary
  • finally, make sure the ‘Declaration’ is signed – when the form is being returned by email you should type in the name of the person completing the application

You must also send a signed paper copy to:

RPID
P1 Spur
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD

Every farming business that has had a man-made floodbank damaged in the affected areas can apply only once, from Monday, 1 February to Monday, 29 February, 2016.

PF25 - Agricultural Floodbank Repair Grant Scheme claim form

Paper copies of the form are available from your local RPID area office.

Farmers must provide the following information with their application:

  • Location Code (Farm Code) where the floodbank is
  • Land Parcel Identifier (LPID) where the floodbank is
  • photographs showing the breach
  • length and height of floodbank to be repaired

As far as is reasonably practicable, bunds must be reconstructed on a 'like-for-like' basis. Therefore, formal approval under the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) 2011, and contact with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), should not be required.

Please see the SEPA advice section below for further details. Planning consent is unlikely to be required for the work eligible under this scheme.

However, in all cases, the applicant will be responsible for consulting with all interested parties and for obtaining which ever consents are required.

SEPA advice

  • SEPA does not require authorisation for like-for-like repair of flood embankments
  • the repaired structure should be as close as reasonably possible to the footprint of the pre-damaged structure
  • there is flexibility over the materials that should be used, but there should not be a significant change to the structure and material (e.g. it should not be a grassed bund being replaced with rock armour)
  • some waste materials will be suitable for use, for example stones and inert rubble. Other waste materials will not be suitable – waste machinery, old vehicles and other hazardous wastes must not be used. Where waste material is used, details must be provided to SEPA
  • material from the river bed should not be used
  • working in the river should be avoided. If it is necessary to work in the river contact your local SEPA office for advice.
  • consider the pollution risks to the river when carrying out the works. This includes discolouration from sediment and soil.
  • take the necessary steps to prevent pollution
  • if there is doubt over any of these points, then contact your local SEPA office for advice and assistance

Contact details for SEPA

There may be other works that you need to carry out in or around rivers, in response to the recent flooding. SEPA has produced summarised guidance on this.

These floodbank repairs will form part of normal farm business activity and agricultural operations. The work should be planned and undertaken in a safe and sensible manner.

To help applicants they may wish to refer to the following the Health and Safety Executive guidance:

Once applications have been assessed, RPID will issue letters of authorisation detailing how much applicants will be able to claim:

  • we aim to issue these letters within 10 days of the application deadline
  • farmers should NOT start work until this letter has been received
  • repairs must be completed and claims submitted by 30 June, 2016

Farmers will be sent a claim form with their letter of authorisation which should be returned on completion of the work.

The completed claim must be returned to RPID with accompanying evidence of completion in order for grant funding to be paid.

Farmers need to complete all the repairs and send RPID their claim no later than 30 June, 2016.

A proportion of sites will be inspected by RPID staff, to confirm the accuracy of information provided in your application, and compliance with grant conditions of completed works.

If you have any questions about eligibility or completing the application form you can send an email to afrs@gov.scot or call 0300 244 9985 or 0300 244 9764.