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Species rich meadow Natural Environment Fund Area

Swinden Quarry Natural Environment Fund

A discretionary grant fund is available from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for environmental projects that benefit the parishes of :

  • Burnsall
  • Conistone with Kilnsey
  • Cracoe
  • Embsay with Eastby
  • Flasby with Winterburn
  • Grassington
  • Hebden
  • Hetton Cum Bordley
  • Linton
  • Rylstone
  • Stirton with Thorlby
  • Thorpe
  • Threshfield

The source of this Fund is money obtained from Tarmac due to a Section 106 Planning Agreement completed on 20 December 2019 in connection with planning permission C/23/67K for the deepening of Swinden Quarry and extension of time allowed for the winning and working of limestone until 2039 (restoration to be completed by 2041).

The aim of the Natural Environment Fund is to improve biodiversity and quality of the natural environment within the locality of Swinden Quarry (see Map) or which compensate for the actual or potential environmental impacts of the quarrying, with particular emphasis on the natural beauty of the landscape, tranquillity and air quality and riverine environment within the locality.

If you are interested in applying for a grant, please contact YDNPA’s Wildlife Conservation Team to discuss your project and its costs before completing an application form.

e-mail: wildlifeconservation@yorkshiredales.org.uk

Tel: 01756 751627 (if you cannot get through on this line, please leave a message with your contact details with Grassington Main Office switchboard on 01756 751600)

Annual Reports

News release

Some of the children at Cracoe and Rylstone Primary School in their new garden, part funded by the new Swinden Quarry Natural Environment Fund
Some of the children at Cracoe and Rylstone Primary School in their new garden, part funded by the new Swinden Quarry Natural Environment Fund
See full Press Release

What can be funded?

  • Habitat management, creation or restoration
  • Protecting features of landscape and wildlife value
  • Community-led environmental initiatives

The following is a list of items that can be funded.  The list is not exhaustive and it is at the discretion of the Fund as to whether any items on the list can be funded in particular circumstances:

  • Tools for community groups/projects;
  • Materials (e.g. fence posts)
  • Plants and/or seed (but only of regional or local origin)
  • Contractors
  • Management plans and specialist surveys
  • Survey equipment (e.g. ID books, nets, hand lenses, etc.)
  • Items to enable community groups to satisfy health and safety requirements (e.g. training, first aid equipment, safety items, protective clothing.)

We won’t normally fund

  • Applications relating to places outside the Fund area, unless a clear benefit for the locality can be demonstrated
  • The cost of preparing or submitting applications for statutory consents
  • Repeat applications where a project is substantially the same as one previously funded
  • Projects where part-funding is to be obtained from other YDNPA sources (e.g. Sustainable Development Fund or Parish Wildlife Project) or from Tarmac
  • Retrospective applications or items where costs have already been incurred

Fund Profile

In any one financial year the Natural Environment Fund will seek to award grants to a total value of approximately £30,000.  Typically, the spilt will be ten ‘Small Grants’ of up to £2k each and one to two ‘Medium Grants’ to a total of about £10k.  ‘Large Grants’ of over £10k can be awarded in exceptional circumstances where very significant environmental or community benefits can be demonstrated.

For Small Grants we will normally aim to make a decision within six weeks of receiving the application.  Deciding applications for Medium/Large grants will take a little longer.  If you are successful in obtaining a grant, we will write to you and ask you to confirm you accept the grant before the project starts.