Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities

The Rural Priorities scheme is one component of the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 . This competitive scheme opened on 7 April 2008.  It offers farmers, crofters, foresters, businesses and community groups a share of almost £800 million to help deliver environmental, social and economic benefits to rural Scotland. 

Rural Priorities replaces previous agri-environment and forestry schemes such as the Rural Stewardship Scheme and Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme.  This makes it possible to have a single Rural Priorities contract across your land holding, instead of several separate agreements with Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission and Scottish Government on different parts of your land.

The key outcomes are to contribute to:

• improved business viability and competitiveness
• improved water quality
• adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change
• protection and enhancement of biodiversity and landscapes
• sustainable rural communities

Using Rural Priorities in the wider countryside

Rural Priorities can be used for a wide range of rural projects. These could include, for example, managing habitats and species on your land, enhancing landscape or providing countryside access.

Using Rural Priorities on SSSIs and Natura sites

Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities    is now the main mechanism for funding management of SSSIs and Natura sites, in place of Natural Care schemes and individual SNH agreements. Scottish Natural Heritage will continue to honour existing Management Agreements; however, you should apply to Rural Priorities to replace your agreement when it expires (unless the site requires specialised management unavailable through RP).  It's advisable to apply well before the expiry date, as the whole process from initial application to contract can take many months. 

From May 2011, there is an Ongoing Approval (OA) process for RDC Rural Priorities applications which will benefit SSSIs and Natura sites. This applies to applications up to £50,000 in value, which contain only Regional Priority 9.   These cases still use the existing online application system. The main difference is that they can be considered for approval and receive a contract without having to wait for the next Regional assessment round.  In 2012, applications using the RP9 OA process should be submitted by 31 July.

Please note that if your receive a contract in 2012 you cannot start annual recurrent options until 1 January 2013. However, capital works can start in 2012 where appropriate.

We strongly recommend that you contact your local Scottish Natural Heritage office  for advice on the management of your SSSI or Natura site before applying to Rural Priorities. (You can also find information on SSSIs and Natura sites on the SNH SiteLink   website. The 'Map Search' button allows searches by post code or farm code to find the sites in your area; the map scale can be changed using the bar at the bottom of the screen.)

Full details of Rural Priorities, including how to apply can be found on the Scottish Government website  .

Rural Development Contracts - Land Managers' Options

The Land Managers' Options   (LMO) scheme was introduced in March 2008 to replace the Land Management Contracts Menu Scheme which started in 2005. This scheme is non competitive, with funding available for a range of options, up to a limit that is based on available acreage. Applications are made on a form that is submitted at the same time as the Single Application Form (IACS 15 May). 

Land Managers' Options offers a more limited range of measures than Rural Priorities. Most of the management measures needed on SSSIs or Natura sites are found under Rural Priorities rather than LMOs; however, LMO measures may be suitable in a few cases.