The programme will provide financial support for a wide range of activities in rural areas including environmental stewardship, skills development, farming and forestry diversification, resource management, renewable energy supply chains and community-led development.
The RDPE has three priorities for rural development:
1. Improving competitiveness of the agriculture and forestry sectors
2. Improving the environment and the countryside
3. Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity
The RDPE priority for improving the environment and the countryside is being delivered by the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme and Natural England's Environmental Stewardship Scheme
In this region, the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) will deliver priorities 1 and 3 with a budget of £156.8 million over the seven years, of which
£55 million is ring-fenced for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to reflect the areas Convergence status. The RDA is also responsible for ensuring that five per cent of the RDPE funding is spent on enabling community involvement in rural development.
Government Office for the South West chairs the Regional Implementation Group and has been working closely with the delivery partners and the Environment Agency to produce a SW Implementation Plan which sets out the rural development priorities for the region and a strategy for delivering the new Programme. GOSW chairs the SW
Ben Bradshaw, Minister of State for Health Services and Minister for the South West , said:
"The SW region is set to benefit from the biggest share of funding from the new Rural Development Programme for England. What is really special is the way in which partners are working together to help protect and enhance the region's natural environment and ensure the long-term sustainability of our rural communities and businesses".
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