Woodland Creation Planning Grant

Landowners,The Woodland landCreation managersPlanning andGrant public(WCPG) provides bodiesfunding (otherto thanprepare Forestrya England)woodland cancreation applydesign toplan. theLandowners, Forestryland Commissionmanagers toand supportpublic thebodies design(other ofthan newForestry woodlandEngland) undercan theapply. 

The Woodlandgrant Creationhas Planning2 Grant (WCPG). stages:

You can apply for £1,500 to complete Stage 1 of the WoodlandWCPG Creationapplication. Planning Grant application and plan. This is focusedfor on a desk-based exercise to identify the constraints and opportunities thataffecting may affect the proposed planting.

If therethe issite has potential for woodland creationcreation, to take place on the site, you will be offered a Stage 2 payment. Stage 2 offerspayments fundinghelp atcover a rate of £150 per hectare, minus the £1,500costs paidfor at Stage 1, to complete Stage 2 of the Woodland Creation Planning Grant application and plan.preparing:

You

• a maysite getappraisal supplementary payments for specialist survey work if map
• a needdesign forconcept them is identified at Stage 1. 

  You will never be paid less than £1,500 for approve Stage 1 work and plan

• a minimumdraft ofwoodland £500creation fordesign approvedplan Stagecompliant 2with work.

  Thethe totalUK amountForestry ofStandard funding you can receive is capped at £30,500 per project. 

  (UKFS)

HowImportant update: October 2024

Find out if you’re eligible

You must plan to create woodland that is: 

• located in England
• a minimum of 5 hectares or more in total size.

If If you intend to seekget grantfunding aid to plant the woodland, woodland, you should consider the minimum areas required to apply for grants for woodland creationcreation when  when planning your proposal.

You’ll need the landowner’s consent and signature if you don’t own the land,land. andWe the Forestry Commission may ask to see your tenancy agreement to confirm your land management responsibilities.

Landscape-scale applications that span multiple land holdings may be accepted. You do not need to own or control the land, but you will need a letter confirming that the landowner(s)landowner supportsupports the application. If your proposed site spans a border, we will only make a Stage 2 payment of £150 per hectare on the land that is in England.

You mayare includenot moreeligible thanto 20%apply offor designeda openWCPG spaceon inthe yourproposed plansite if theyou’ve constraintsalready ofapplied yourfor:

• the siteEngland makeWoodland thisCreation necessary,Offer
• Countryside butStewardship
• the Woodland theCarbon totalFund
• the HS2 StageWoodland 2Fund
• an Environmental paymentImpact willAssessment  be(EIA) limitedenquiry form to theplant neta plantingnew areawoodland

How plusit 20%works

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• soils 20%and ofclimate
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• local totalstakeholders: projectplease areause willthe not letter receiveto funding.

  Ifrequest you’vestakeholder alreadyinput (MS appliedWord forDocument, the95 EnglandKB), Woodlandwhich Creationexplains Offer,how Countrysidetheir Stewardship,response the Woodlandwill Carbonbe Fund,used

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Payments

You’ll overreceive 0.5payment hectares.in 2 stages Ifas weyou agreecomplete the application process.

We Thismake isthe toStage ensure2 newpayment areason areapproval suitablyof assessedyour forcompleted sensitivitiesWCPG application and constraintsplan throughand thesupporting Stagedocuments. 

The 1total process.amount Ifof funding you arecan anreceive agreementis holdercapped at Stage£30,500 2per andproject. 

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In onexceptional or nearcircumstances to Priorityyou Habitats. 

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additional Stage 1 payment will be made.

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Stage 2

You get a Stage 2 payment for producing a Woodlandwoodland Creationcreation Designdesign Planplan by completing the Stage 2 tabs of of the the application and plan.

See View the listexample ofWCPG requiredapplication, maps and plans into theunderstand Woodlandwhat Creationwe Designneed Planto examplecomplete documents.Stage This1 includes:and 2. These include:

• a site context map
• a site appraisal plan
• a design concept plan and final design plan 

The WCPG application and planplan, and supporting documents required will at Stage 1 and Stage 2 will show a design process,design process: from a survey of the site’s keymain featuresfeatures, to analysis of how they will affect the proposed woodland’s design to synthesis,synthesis. bringingThis thiswill informationcreate together into an informed design for the woodland.

AllYou elementsmay include more than 20% of thedesigned woodlandopen creationspace designin your plan youif finallythe submitconstraints (includingof anyyour specialssite reportsmake andthis surveysnecessary, fundedbut through a supplementary payment)the shouldtotal beStage clearly2 referredpayment will be limited to the net planting area plus 20% (of the gross area). This means that any designed open space in your Woodlandplan Creationover Designand Plan,above showing20% of the total project area will not receive funding.

All elements of your woodland creation design plan should be clearly referred to. This should include:

• how those elements of survey and analysis were brought together to produce a UK Forestry Standard-compliant plan for your site. 
  site 
• any special reports and surveys funded through a supplementary payment

Supplementary

How payments

Ifto the information you collect during Stage 1 indicates that a more detailed assessment is needed (such as a peat depth survey, or an archaeological survey) then you can apply for a supplementary payment. Where appropriate, the work required under the supplementary payment will need to follow the approach set out in the appropriate standard brief(s).

WCPG

The current standard brief(s) are:

1. peat depth survey
2. breeding birds
3. vegetation / habitats

TheseFind standardout brief(s)if areyou’re availableeligible onby ourreading Naturalthe grant environmentterms survey and assessment instructionsconditions.

We alsoYou havecan aalso standardtalk briefto foryour DeerWoodland ImpactCreation Assessment surveys for woodland creationOfficer.

• Archaeology – analytical survey
• Archaeology – geophysical survey

ToApply requestusing athe copyforms ofon aWCPG Standardforms Briefand for Archaeology please email WCPG@forestrycommission.gov.ukguidance.

ToYou applycan forstart awork supplementaryon paymentyour completewoodland the  Supplementarydesign paymentsplan applicationonce form. Youyour shouldapplication submitis thisapproved, with Stage 1 of the WCPG application and plan. In exceptional circumstances you can apply for supplementary payments before you have beenaccepted offereda Stage 1 fundingagreement atoffer.

You thecan discretionapply andall approval of the Forestry Commission. year-round.

Submit an application form

CompleteWe the applicationaim tabsto ofrespond theto WCPGyour application andwithin plan15 availableworking ondays. It ourmay formstake page andlonger returnif ityour byapplication emailincludes to: WCPG@forestrycommission.gov.uk.untrialled Thetree Forestryspecies Commissionor mayis contactin you to finalise some details before making a decisionsensitive on your application.location.

IfYou youmust can’thave applya bysigned emailagreement sendin paperplace copiesbefore to:you start work.

Give consent if you appoint an agent

IfYou youcan decide to appoint an agent to apply for funding on your behalfbehalf. thenYou youneed mustto complete a Forestry Commission agent authority form to give your consent. 

Further funding

OnceYou youcan haveuse ayour completed and approved woodland creation design plan,plan you can use this to apply for: 

• for the England Woodland Creation Offer

.

Appeals

YouFind can out how to appeal against a Forestry Commission decision. 

Contact the Forestry Commissionus

Contact the WCPG Nationalnational team for more information WCPG@forestrycommission.gov.uk or your local Woodland Creation Officer.