Shropshire Council

Farm environment plans

Please note that these pages are currently being updated to incorporate the latest information on agri-environment schemes. In the meantime, please contact us for further details.

We're now able to comment and make recommendations on the historic environment for those producing farm environment plans (FEPs) for the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme. We provide the following service:

  • A covering letter summarising the historic environment interest on the holding
  • Where applicable, a completed historic environment record (HER) proforma table
  • where applicable, a HER advice map showing the location of all HER record entered on the proforma
  • We'll aim to provide you with a response within 20 working days of receipt of your consultation (on condition that all necessary information and documentation is submitted with your consultation)
  • We'll aim to provide all responses electronically, provided that you have access to email and can download file attachments

In order to help us to process such enquiries as quickly and efficiently as possible, we'd ask that you follow these guidelines:

  • Submitting an enquiry to us - please use the standard letter provided in Part A, Appendix 2 of the Defra FEP guidance handbook (p.42), and submit a separate letter for each and every individual FEP you have been asked to prepare. Please ensure that the CPH number for the holding and, if possible, the application reference number are included in your letter. All correspondence should be addressed to Charlotte Orchard, Historic Environment Team - full details of the address can be found on this page
  • Holding maps - please submit copies of the holding maps with field numbers supplied by Natural England. If you wish to submit monotone photocopies please clearly mark the holding boundary on each map
  • Holding size - please indicate clearly in your covering letter the size of the holding in hectares (ha)
  • Payment rates - we charge £75 for holdings below 50 ha and £150 for holdings above 50 ha. (Please note that the HLS handbook wrongly states that the cut-off between the £75 and £150 historic environment record (HER) consultation payment is 150 ha rather than 50 ha)
  • Making a payment - please do not send us the payment with your enquiry. We'll invoice you for the correct amount once we've processed your request.

This service conforms to that agreed nationally in the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO)/Rural Development Service/English Heritage Service Standard. For further information on the service standard take a look at the ALGAO website.