The Scottish Government received confirmation that a modification submitted to the EC last year to enhance the current Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) has now been approved. This modification includes changes to some of the Rural Priorities grants available and the required change to domestic legislation was approved to take effect from 1st February 2009.
The Rural Priorities Options affected by the change in grant amounts available are as follows:
- Actual Capital Cost Items - Added for Operations required for SSSI and Natura features to help bring them into favourable condition, with a payment rate of up to 100% of actual costs.
As well as an increase in the grant intervention rates, there was also the addition of some Standard Cost Capital Items against the site of Woodland Creation and Woodland Improvement Grant Options.
Please note: For this current modification only as contracts are still being produced for previous RPAC rounds, all claims for work already commenced will be based on the payment rates that were in operation at the time of approval. All contracts coming from the February RPAC round will be paid at the new rates.