Pevensey Farmers
We enjoyed a great turnout for our sixth winter lecture on Wednesday, 12th March. Our speaker, Anthony Weston (Director of CLM Ltd), discussed current and future funding opportunities for Pevensey farmers (see full presentation by clicking here).
Anthony began by sharing background on CLM and the services they offer to farmers and landowners, then highlighted several funding opportunities that may be available to farmers on the Levels. One of these is the CS Higher Tier scheme, which is expected to open to everyone in the summer of 2025. It includes 132 possible actions and 151 capital items, with agreements ranging from 5 to 20 years. Anthony also noted that Natural England seems particularly interested in PA1 (a management plan payment of £1,200) and PA2 (a feasibility plan that can be funded up to 100% of its cost). Interestingly, Anthony mentioned someone who recently received £160,000 from Natural England for a major feasibility study (PA1) on a wetland project—an example of the significant support that can be available.
Regarding DEFRA’s Landscape Recovery pilot scheme, he confirmed there will be a third round but no date has been announced. He advised preparing a draft bid in advance, as funding windows can be short. Additionally, CLM and others are reaching out to potential funders such as water companies.
Next, Anthony addressed Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)—an area where CLM specialises and a hot topic in the farming press. CLM has helped some landowners successfully negotiate BNG deals. Under these agreements, land must still be grazed and receive a hay cut, so farming can continue while generating a substantial revenue stream.
Anthony outlined three potential paths for BNG:
- Leasing your land (joint venture) to operators like the Environment Bank, who handle most of the work but typically take around 80% of the revenue.
- Self-funding through direct-to-market deals, which CLM can facilitate. This approach is more common on larger estates, where BNG is just one of several income sources.
- Bespoke habitat creation, often prompted by a developer approaching landowners—typically if their development is nearby.
