Applications are now open for this year’s round of Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS), offering up to £30,000 for farms to invest in projects that improve water quality. To help with timescales and on farm priorities, Severn Trent have separated out all of their biodiversity grant options into the Spring STEPS 2023 programme.
STEPS 2023
Familiar to many farms, land agents and estate owners across their region, STEPS is part of Severn Trent’s Farming 4 Water catchment management programme. The grant scheme partners with farmers and landowners across the water company’s 48 priority catchments.
What’s new for 2023
- Where possible, prices have been competitively matched to other schemes, such as Countryside Stewardship.
- The packages of priority items have been maintained which includes up to £30,000 for pesticide washdown areas and free rainwater harvesting, soil testing for cover crop applicants in groundwater catchments and up to 100% funding for fencing in our crypto catchments.
- Grant rates have been increased for many items.
- There are still a great range of options to choose from which are all aimed at protecting the environment and water quality.
- Specific priority items that once implemented will make a fundamental difference to the health of the surrounding water environment are still included.
Applications for STEPS 2023 grant options close on 31st December 2023 and applicants will find out if they have been successful within 5 weeks of the application date. Match-funding of up to £10,000 per application is available and work must be completed within 12 months of an agreement being issued.
To broaden its outreach, this year match funding is available for Closed Transfer Systems (CTS), which enable clean and safe chemical transfer to and from sprayers. CTS are an alternative for pesticide management, particularly if farming businesses cannot accommodate a full-size pesticide wash down area.
Spring STEPS 2023
Spring STEPS for Biodiversity grant options are aimed at improving and enhancing biodiversity across farm businesses and are a sister scheme to the main STEPS scheme which targets water quality.
- Biodiversity items are now priority items for either surface water or groundwater catchments (depending on the item), making it easier for farm businesses to access non-priority items and making it easier to benefit both water quality and biodiversity.
- Biodiversity options can be applied for at the same time as applying for a water quality option.
- All biodiversity options must be completed by 1st March 2024.
With a shorter application window, this funding can be applied for until 31st October.
For further information on both schemes visit: Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Schemes | Farming for water | Working with farmers and land managers | Environment | About Us | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)
