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5.3.3.2 Measures to improve the quality of life in rural areas
5.3.3.2.1 Basic services for the economy and the rural population
IMPROVING ACCESS (Tier 2)
Article 52(b)(i) and (a)(iii)
Measure Codes (321) and (313)
Rationale for Intervention
This measure will support the government's commitment to encouraging responsible public outdoor access and to integrating access with good land management, as well as assisting the Scottish Executive's policies for health improvement and increased physical activity. It will further the objectives behind the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which introduced the statutory right of responsible access to most land and inland water, and created the conditions for better management of access and recreation opportunities in the outdoors.
Funding assistance is appropriate because the access facilities to be provided under this measure will encourage informal public outdoor access, and so generally are not revenue-producing for the applicant. The access facilities provided through this measure will provide a sustainable resource for nearby communities and for enterprises in the wider locality, generating broad social and economic benefits through improved opportunities for local outdoor access and recreation. This is strongly in support of Theme 3 of the SRDP Strategic Plan in Scotland - "promoting a more diverse rural economy and thriving rural communities".
Objectives
The objectives of this measure are to encourage land managers to:
- maintain and mark access routes/paths to help the public in exercising their rights under part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003; and
- encourage the use of routes that provide public benefits and integrate with land management activities.
The measure links with other management measures including provision or upgrading of infrastructure relating to access to farm and forest land, energy supplies and water management, and access creation for sustainable forest management.
Scope and Actions
Support will be available for maintaining and marking paths / routes which meet the criteria of linking to local networks, giving access to points of attraction, or meeting a local need, including core paths. Eligible access routes may include access on inland water, for which relevant capital items will be eligible. The path/route, its maintenance and associated capital items must meet all of the relevant technical specifications set out in the RDC guidance - well-drained, fit for the intended purpose, free from obstructions, signposted and waymarked, and regularly maintained.
For verification requirements the applicant must keep the receipts for costs incurred under this operation. In addition, the applicant must identify the route on a 1:10,000 map which shows the location of the path/route to be managed and the location and type of capital items for which the applicant is claiming funding. Both the map and receipts must be retained for inspection purposes.
A copy of the map must also be submitted to your local access officer by 31 August in year 1 of your agreement. This is to inform the local authority (or national park authority within a national park) local access officer, and to help ensure that the proposal meets at least one of the criteria set out above.
Definition of beneficiaries
The measure is available to all rural land managers. All tarmac/bitumen surfaced motor-vehicle tracks are ineligible.
Amount of support
This is a five year management agreement and the annual payment rate is set at £2.75 per metre of path/route maintained - on the basis of additional costs and income foregone from the commitment made.
If the applicant claims for the maintenance of paths we will also contribute to the one-off costs of certain capital items. We will pay 75% of standard costs, up to £150 per item the following capital items, boardwalks, bridges, and culverts. All capital items must be completed before the applicant can claim for path maintenance.
Transition arrangements
None
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