Guidance & Grants

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Here, you will find links to guidance and grants available from ourselves and other organisations that will help you to conserve and enhance the Shropshire Hills.

Click on the links below:

Planning Guidance

Conservation and Land Management

Woodland and Tree Funding and Advice

Water and Resource Protection

Energy and Climate Change

Festivals and Events

Pontesbury Hill by Phil King

Planning Guidance

 

Conservation and Land Management

We currently administer two grant schemes:

Farming in Protected Landscapes programme - we can support farmers and land managers to apply for grants for projects to provide benefits to climate, nature, people and place on land in the Shropshire Hills AONB

AONB Conservation Fund - a small grant pot to support practical projects that help to conserve, enhance and raise awareness of the Shropshire Hills AONB.

Ancient Woodland Restoration Project - funding available to actively restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) in the Shropshire Hills. The project is intended to be at no cost to the woodland owner, minimal paperwork and supported by a dedicated Woodland Officer.

Shropshire Hills AONB guidance documents:

Other locally produced guidance:

 

External links for other good sources of advice and guidance:

Legal obligations on protecting rural landscapes and features.  This simple government guide includes an overview on the following:

  • funding and cross compliance
  • hedgerows and watercourses
  • trees and woodland
  • dry stone walls
  • scheduled monuments

Hedgerow Regulations including guidance on good management of hedges.

Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) regulations.  Ploughing or improving uncultivated land or semi-natural areas, and projects that physically restructure rural land holdings (changing field boundaries or adding soil), require permission.

Good practice guide to geological conservation (link to download Natural England publication)

 

Woodland and Tree funding and advice

There are several grants and other incentives available from Defra for woodland creation, maintenance, management and tree health. Click here for a brief overview and links to further information.

Ancient Woodland Restoration Project- funding available to actively restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) in the Shropshire Hills. 

Tree Health Pilot Fund for additional support for landowners with disease affected trees and woodlands - more information about the fund in our news item. 

Other useful links:

  • Woodland Trust MOREwoods - grant to plant 500+ trees as woodland on at least half a hectare? Apply for saplings, advice and funding
  • Woodland Trust MOREhedges - saplings, advice and funding for new hedging projects of 100 metres or more
  • SmallWoods Woodland Biodiversity Project, email nickmarsh@smallwoods.org.uk
  • STW Boost for Biodiversity - fund to help biodiversity projects in Severn Trent Water region
  • Shropshire Council Farm Tree Helpdesk, email tree.planting@shropshire.gov.uk
  • Shropshire Council Community Trees Scheme 2022/2023 - applications are invited from people who wish to plant trees and short sections of hedging, and to create small areas of woodland in Shropshire.  Additional funding is also available to supply (free of charge) some larger, feathered trees (1-1.5m tall, bare root). ‘Feathered’ trees are larger than the transplants provided through the Community Tree Scheme, and so would be more suitable for locations such as wide road verges or village greens, for example, where they would be more prominent visually.
  • Farming in Protected Landscapes -  funding programme for one-off farming projects that can demonstrate benefits to climate, nature, people and place.
  • CPRE Shropshire Hedgerow Project - to help plant hedges
  • Trees for Shropshire - a not for profit organisation, planting trees and hedges in Shropshire 

 

Water and Resource Protection 

Shropshire Pond Creation Scheme - to create and improve pond habitat for Great Crested Newts.

Getting to Know Your Septic Tank (download leaflet, or contact us to send you a copy) 

 

Energy & Climate Change

  • South Shropshire Climate Action - a comprehensive set of resources can be found on their website including documents, videos and case studies.
  • Shropshire Climate Action Partnership - this Shropshire-wide group has developed with a combination of grassroots community initiative, and support from Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council.
  • Stretton Climate Care – Local charity seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of the Church Stretton area.  Membership, events and advice.
  • Lightfoot Energy Service – Bishop's Castle based not-for-profit organisation offering impartial energy efficiency information and encouragement to help reduce rising fuel poverty and carbon emissions. 
  • Marches Energy Agency – Shrewsbury based not-for-profit organisation with a wide portfolio of activities and projects.

 

Festivals & Events