This guidance is only appropriate for applications submitted after 16 November 2011. For applications submitted before 16 November 2011, please see the previous guidance.
Applicants should use this guidance to help them complete Section 3 of the Business and/or Environment chapters in their Outcome Plan. Applicants should provide evidence for each regional priority within a Proposal to allow the Case Officer to assess the priority as 'High' or 'Low' against each of the criteria.
Please note, under this criteria the definition of "Additionality" is different from the previous guidance. The other changes are a new criteria called "Qualitative Contribution" and the removal of the "Leverage" criteria which is no longer considered.
All assessment criteria are used to judge how well the Proposal meets the Regional Priority selected.
Group 1: Scale of Contribution to Regional Priorities and National Targets
Group 2: Value for Money
Group 3: Management of Risk
Group 1: Scale of Contribution to Regional Priorities and National Targets
Quality
You can score a 'High' if
1. you have met a regional priority identified as having 'particular' importance by the RPAC in the published Regional Priorities:
For example:
Regional priority 1c seeks to:
- make the business better able to respond to market demand.
The RPAC may have defined this more specifically by, for example, prioritising amongst others:
- applicants that demonstrate an innovative approach to developing new products and a strong identity for food and drink derived from the RPAC area.
In this example you could score a 'High' if you can demonstrate you will meet this particular target for the RPAC area.
2. the regional priority you have selected supports one of the national targets.
Quantity
You can score a 'High' if you can provide sufficient evidence to show you intend to commit as much of your available resources as is feasible or reasonable to deliver the regional priority and have not simply chosen to do the minimum.
For example:
You can score a 'High' if you propose to manage the entire woodland within your management responsibility that has been identified as a regional priority.
Collaboration
You can score a 'High' if, as a result of your circumstances or choice of Options, you can demonstrate greater contribution to the selected regional priority through collaboration with other RDC Rural Priorities scheme applicants.
An applicant can score a 'High' against collaboration if
- the other collaborators have committed a proposal which has either; already been approved or is due to be assessed at the same RPAC Round and collaborators' proposals are compatible and genuinely add value to the applicant's proposals.
- Collaborative Proposals need not be restricted to a single RPAC region but it must be clear how the collaborative elements demonstrate greater contribution to the selected regional priority.
- A Proposal submitted by a Common Grazings, which includes investment or management on a Common Grazing, will be eligible to score a high for collaboration where there is more than one shareholder and the majority of crofters have agreed to the application.
For example:
- Management of bordering land units or units within close proximity but not necessarily physically adjoining each other that are components of an eco-system or habitat network or species range, e.g. control of a rhododendron cluster across all ownerships within the cluster locality in order to reduce the risk of re-invasion; joint action amongst riparian owners to reduce diffuse pollution along a river or co-ordinated management across a whole deer range.
- Linked or integrated assets across more than one land holding, e.g. path network, view points within a tourist trail.
- Components of a renewable energy supply chain or food supply chain where the individual parts, whilst geographically separated, are dependent on each other's co-operation to make the supply chain work.
Integration
You can score a 'High' if the separate Options you have chosen complement one another.
As well as complement each other, to qualify for a 'high' rating under this criterion, each option selected should genuinely add value to the proposal and contribute to the selected regional priority in their own right.
For example:
- Ensuring the location of newly created or enhanced field margin habitats (e.g. Axis 2 - Options 21, 33 and 35) such as hedges, beetle banks, woodlands and water margins are connected such that they create a network of joined-up habitat corridors allowing species to move between 'islands' of their supporting habitats.
- Targeted use of organic manure on cropped land (e.g. under Axis 1 - Options 3 or 4) in tandem with expansion of a slurry store to handle the extra output from a new livestock building or enterprise (e.g. under Axis 1- Options 6 or 7).
- Management of a woodland (e.g. under Axis 2 - Options 45, 46 or 47) to produce timber suitable for chipping for new wood-fuel plant (e.g. under Axis 3 - Option 2).
Multiple outcomes
You can score a 'High' if the same activity or Option delivers more than one regional priority. Note: This refers to delivery of separate main priorities e.g. RP1 and RP16, and not to delivery of two sub priorities within the same main regional priority. Therefore, for example, a proposal which is deemed to deliver against only priority 1a and priority 1e would not achieve a 'High'.
For example:
- Installation of waste management infrastructure (e.g. Axis 1 - Options 6 or 7) allows better management of manure/slurry application to enhance soil condition (contributing to regional priority 1) and reduce diffuse pollution into water courses (contributing to regional priority 16).
- Woodland creation (under Axis 2 - Option 45), particularly native woodland planting, could deliver for biodiversity (regional priorities 8-12), landscape (regional priorities 13, 14), climate change (regional priorities 21, 23, 24), amenity (e.g. regional priority 31) and business priorities (e.g. regional priorities 1 and 2).
- Conversion of an old building into a community centre (e.g. under Axis 3 - Option 7) could meet community priorities (e.g. regional priorities 31 or 32) as well as historic/vernacular building conservation (e.g. regional priority 15).
Innovation
You can score a 'High' if, as a result of your circumstances or choice of Options, you can demonstrate greater contribution to the selected regional priority through adoption of new and sound ideas, technology, skills or methods of delivery which, at a minimum, are novel for the region in which the Proposal is based.
Note, however, that through adopting an untried innovative approach, the risk of potential failure is increased and this may be reflected in the score given against the Group 3 criteria - Demonstrate Feasibility.
It is expected that scoring a 'High' for innovation would be an exception rather than the norm. Applicants should provide a clear justification of why they consider their proposal to be innovative.
Applications which score high for innovation will normally be referred to the RPAC. The RPAC will regularly review proposals which have been judged to be innovative and take a view as to whether similar proposals coming forward in future would continue to score a 'High'.
Contribution to National Targets
You can score a 'High' if your Proposal clearly contributes to published Government targets listed below:
1. Target: The encouragement of young new entrants into farming. Applications under Priorities which offer Package 3 can score a 'High'. Applications under Priorities which do not offer Package 3 but are specifically aimed at restructuring or improving the viability of the agricultural business (including diversification) will be considered for a 'High'. This is restricted to Axis 1 and Axis 3 measures.
2. Target: Activities which will bring the notified special features of 95% of Scotland's nationally important nature sites (SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites) into favourable condition, or maintain them in favourable condition.
To score a 'High', your proposal must contribute to the recovery of unfavourable features or the maintenance of favourable features, by addressing the parts of the feature that are within your control.
If a feature is in unfavourable condition, your proposal should include all the measures which are needed to address the reasons for it being unfavourable, and which are within your control.
If a feature is in favourable condition, the proposal should include all the measures which are needed to maintain this condition on your land and which are within your control.
You should try to address all the features on your land. If you are not proposing to address them all, you should explain why.
Case Officers should only assign a 'High' if this has been endorsed by the SNH Officer who has been consulted about the proposal. (The SNH Officer should confirm which features will benefit and, for each feature, whether they consider the proposal will help to maintain favourable condition or help bring in to favourable condition.)
3. Target: Woodland Expansion to Mitigate Climate Change. Creation of 2 hectares or greater to mitigate the effects of climate change will score a 'High'. This National Target will only apply to proposals where the woodland creation has been applied for via the following priorities: 14, 21 and 23.
Woodland creation can be applied for under other priorities, for example Priority 08, and will still score a 'High', but only if the area to be created is 2 hectares or greater and the value of payments for the woodland creation option exceeds 25% of the total value of payments for the whole proposal.
However, areas of less than 2 hectares will also score a 'High' if the value of payments for the Woodland Creation Options exceeds 50% of the total value of payments for the whole proposal.
4. Target: Nitrate Vulnerable Zones - No longer a Target for applications being considered after 2011 due to end of regulatory exemption.
Within Scotland's Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, improved slurry storage facilities on farms where there is housed livestock as per Option requirements.
5. Target: The conservation of Red Squirrels.
Proposals which will directly benefit the population of Red Squirrels in Scotland by the control of Grey Squirrels can score a 'High' if the value of payments for the Control of Grey Squirrels Option exceeds 25% of the total value of payments for the whole proposal.
6. Target: Improvement in the quality of Scotland's surface and ground waters by reducing diffuse pollution.
The Water Framework Directive sets strict water quality targets to be achieved by 2027. Within Scotland, priority catchments have been chosen where there is a high risk of failing to achieve the Water Framework Directive's targets and also because of their risk of impacting on bathing waters, drinking water or shellfish waters.
This National Target will apply to proposals where the diffuse pollution mitigation options have been applied for under Regional Priorities 16-20.
To score a 'High', your proposal must contribute to improving water quality in one of the priority catchments. Land managers within priority catchments should already have been notified by SEPA. Further information and a list of priority catchments are available here.
To achieve the required improvements in water quality it is important that options are targeted to where they are both required and effective. Proposals must therefore be supported by a farm assessment to identify sources of diffuse pollution and target options appropriately.
Proposals should include the measures needed to address all the sources of diffuse pollution on the land holding. If you are not proposing to address them all, you should explain why.
Where diffuse pollution measures are applied for under other priorities; for a 'high' to be awarded the total expenditure on diffuse pollution mitigation measures would be expected to exceed 25% of the total value of eligible costs for the whole proposal (including any amount for leverage).
Collaborative applications
Improvements to water quality are most effective when land managers work together and options are implemented throughout a catchment. For example, where buffer strips can be put in place along the entire length of a river or burn, collaborative working is strongly encouraged to achieve this.
7. Target: Increasing the Area of Organically Managed Farmland in Scotland
This target applies to proposals that include the Conversion and Maintenance of Organic Farming option.
Proposals that include the 'organic conversion' sub option will score a 'High' if at least 25% of the applicant's permanently held land will be managed as per the option requirements.
Proposals that include the 'organic maintenance' sub option will score a 'High' if at least 75% of the applicant's organically certified land that is eligible for maintenance will be managed as per the option requirements.
Other Government targets may be added during the lifetime of the SRDP.
8. Target: Supporting the growth of the Scottish Food and Drink sector
We will give priority to applications which include the "Processing and Marketing of Primary Products" option by including them as a "National Target" to encourage the growth of the Food and Drink sector.
Group 2: Value for Money
Additionality
You can score a 'high' if you confirm the project will not proceed without funding assistance from Rural Priorities.
Added value
You can score a 'high' where your Proposal directly secures or enhances an existing activity regardless of whether you have previously received public funding for the activity.
For example:
- The expansion of an existing diversified business to enhance capacity or take advantage of a market.
- The expansion of an existing livestock or arable enterprise to enhance capacity or take advantage of a market.
- The introduction of activities that complement or continue successful management funded under previous schemes such as the Rural Stewardship Scheme, Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme, Natural Care Agreements, etc.
- Continuation of management funded under previous schemes will only receive a 'high' if environmental benefits have been obtained. The supporting evidence must include an assessment of the success or otherwise of the management which is being continued.
Long-term benefit
You can score a 'high' where you can demonstrate that the activities proposed will provide benefits which will last longer than the terms of your Rural Development Contract and so provide enhanced public benefit.
For agri-environment type proposals the judgement on long term benefit involves the following issues;
- The potential for the habitat to stay in condition beyond the end of the contract
- How quickly will the habitat deteriorate within a year of the contract ending if the management is abandoned?
The following are a guide to the likely permanency of the habitat;
- Annual crops - very sensitive and unlikely to remain in condition beyond a year following end of the contract if management is removed. Includes some grassland sown for silage, grass margin, species rich pasture or bird cover.
- Permanent pasture - less sensitive but some can quickly become rank or poached depending on their fertility and drainage and thereby affect the likely long term benefit of the management once ended.
- Scrub, Shrubs, Grassland mosaics, Water Margins, Woodland Pasture Likely to be more permanent but depends how integral to the more intensively managed parts of the farm/land as to the risk of the habitat being adversely modified if the positive management were to be abandoned beyond the end of the RDC-RP contract.
- Moorland, Upland grassland, flush habitats - more permanent especially as they are likely to be part of the hill/outbye and therefore subject to less invasive management. Their vulnerability (and therefore long term benefit) depends on stocking pressure (especially if this is likely to significantly increase or decrease following release from RDC-RP contract) and the soils on the site e.g. peat is more sensitive to poaching/erosion but less sensitive to under-grazing compared to mineral soils which may continue to support good habitat condition if stocking densities are raised but support rank vegetation if stocking densities are lowered beyond RDC-RP contract.
- Woodlands - established planted or regenerated woodlands are unlikely to deteriorate very fast beyond the end of the RDC-RP contract and therefore retain long term benefits.
For example:
- Creation of a new job or jobs that will exist beyond the end of the Rural Development Contract period.
- Woodland creation and regeneration, hedgerows, dykes, where they will deliver outcomes beyond the Rural Development Contract period.
- A building, piece of equipment or a community facility that will be operated and available beyond the term of the Rural Development Contract period.
Qualitative Contribution
You can score a 'high' if you can demonstrate greater contribution to the regional priority by improving on the minimum standards for the activities described, or referred to, in the Option guidance.
Group 3: Management of Risk
Meeting demand
You can score a 'high' if you provide evidence:
· that there is an obvious and immediate market demand for your product or service that is currently not being met in your region or by other similar businesses.
· For non-commercial (Axis 2 or 3) activities this may be through reference to national or regional strategies or targets, local community plans or agreements that specifically recognise the activity within your Proposal.
For example:
- A community plan initiated by the Community Planning Partnership identifies the need for a community service.
- A recent feasibility study on your new enterprise identifies a specific market for your product.
- Woodland management delivers improvements in species and structural diversity in line with priorities set out in the Scottish Forestry Strategy.
- Customer or community survey provides evidence of a demand for new product/service.
- Relevant regional strategy or development plan identifies a market that is appropriate to the applicant's producer group.
- Regional land use plan or strategy clearly identifies a target for, e.g. specific habitat cover or land management activity relevant to the Proposal.
· National or international priority species or habitats that are found in the RPAC region and supported by evidence from recognised experts that confirms the species or habitat does exist on the applicant's land or at least is very likely to be present if the habitat is managed for it. To find evidence of species or habitat distribution in relation to the applicant's land holding the applicant can start by consulting recognised species and habitat recording databases such as
The National Biodiversity Network;
Your Local Records Centre if one exists for the area or
SNH's 'About Scotland's Nature' website.
Alternatively or in addition you can consult expert advice from SNH, DCS, SEPA, FCS or one of the specialist NGOs involved in promoting positive management for the species concerned e.g. Local Authority Biodiversity Partnership or Ranger Service, RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust, British Trust for Ornithology, Local Bird Club Recorder, Butterfly Conservation (Scotland), Plantlife Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Scottish Native Woodlands, Fishery Trusts, Mammal Society, Red Squirrel Groups, Deer Management Groups. There are many other specialist species organisations and individual academic experts that, depending on the species and location, may be able to provide specialist advice.
It is not sufficient for the applicant to state, because they are managing a habitat that is generally associated with a particular species, that by default the management will benefit the species. They must demonstrate the relevance of their proposed management to the target species and how it will help achieve favourable condition for the habitat and/or species.
For example, it is not sufficient simply to state "SNH/SLC Landscape Character Assessment for [region/area]…". It must be clearly demonstrated how the proposed management will help to create/maintain a particular aspect(s) of the assessment.
This kind of evidence is also required to justify how the proposed management contributes to the regional priority under the 'Quality' assessment criterion.
Minimising impacts
You can score a 'High' if you have recognised and acted appropriately to minimise potential external impacts resulting from your Proposal (e.g. impact on your neighbours, other local or associated businesses or the wider environment as appropriate) over and above those that you are compelled to address via statutory consents and licences.
To score a 'High', you will also have to show that you have taken on board the advice provided by specialist advisors or comments made through any consultation process your Proposal was subject to.
An example is where any elements of a Proposal have been the subject of a formal Environmental Impact Assessment and, as a consequence, have received consent with conditions that demand a higher level of mitigation than the statutory minimum. In this case the Proposal will score high on the basis that EIA represents the highest and most detailed level of environmental impact scrutiny available in the UK.
Examples:
- A vernacular building has been renovated for a new use and the visual impact of the Proposal has been minimised by retaining existing walls.
- A new poultry shed has been constructed adjacent to a core path. The applicant has screened the building from the path by planting trees and has taken measures to reduce odour impact for path users.
- A new slurry store has been re-located to the rear of a farm steading to reduce visual impact from the public road and the applicant has introduced slurry injection to avoid odour impact.
Demonstrate feasibility
You can score a 'High' if you can provide evidence that the Proposal can be successfully completed within the specified timescales, to the agreed standards, and that payment will be realistically claimed within the defined timescale. This can include references to appendices where letters of approvals, consents etc are attached.
For example the following could contribute to a 'High' scoring:
- The existing business can be operated whilst the new enterprise is set up
- Sufficient personnel involved in delivering the Proposal are either qualified, have the necessary skills or are committed to training necessary to deliver the outcomes, or there is evidence that the business has successfully delivered similar proposals
- All consents and approvals are in place or appropriately accounted for.