CRT responds to sudden closure of the Capital Grant Scheme

The CRT is extremely concerned and frustrated by the sudden closure of the capital grant scheme and its impact on the charity and our tenants. 

At the end of November, Defra announced the temporary closure of new applications for 76 grant items under the capital grant scheme. 

Capital grants provide agreements that deliver environmental outcomes within four groups; boundaries, trees, and orchards; water quality; air quality; and natural flood management. 

The CRT relies on these capital grants on our properties, as do many farmers and landowners, and they are a vital tool for supporting our farmers. 

Defra has said the scheme has paused due to unprecedented demand, although agreements already signed will be met.

Kerriann McLackland, CRT Head of Estates

Kerriann McLackland, the CRT’s Head of Estates, said the announcement was very frustrating and its impact on our properties concerning. 

“They pulled the plug on this overnight and this has big repercussions as landowners and farmers cannot plan. If the Government can pull out of schemes without notice, it breaks down trust and the added uncertainty makes business planning even harder in an industry which is already inherently uncertain; subject to the vagaries of the weather, animal disease outbreaks and global economics."

Kerriann said the sudden change will impact many of our farms, where applications were ready to go in or already in but not yet approved. 

These include:  

• Fencing at Cleavers, East Sussex, so enable the introduction of livestock grazing 

• Fencing at Pierrepont Farm, Surrey, so that the river meadows, including the SSSI can be grazed to provide high quality wildlife habitat. 

• Improvements to the water supply and fencing at Baber’s Farm, Dorset, as well as track upgrade to prevent soil run-off into water courses. 

• Roofing over the slurry store at Pierrepont Farm to reduce the impacts of extreme rainfall events. 

Kerriann added: “There will be a further update on this from Defra in 2025.  Whilst a reduction in payment rates was in the air, there was not expectation of the capital grant scheme being pulled overnight.   

“This sort of action erodes trust. There is very mixed messaging from the Government. They want farmers to manage the land in a way which cares for and supports nature and the environment and yet take away the support to do it.”