Use of the Aggregates Levy funding in Scotland
The Aggregates Levy is a UK environmental tax on the commercial exploitation of aggregate (sand, gravel and rock, with some exceptions). In Scotland, a percentage of the Levy receipts is received by the Government.
From 2002 to 2008 the Aggregates Levy funding, administered within the Sustainable Action Fund, had a focus on the remediation of the effects of quarrying: local community projects promoting the restoration of the natural environment; biodiversity projects; and a range of major projects with a general relevance to aggregates and environmental impact.
The Community Environmental Renewal Grants Scheme, which operated from 2002 to 2008, has ceased to operate. Over six years the Scottish Government supported 335 environmental projects in communities across Scotland in the vicinity of existing or disused quarries. Many of these projects had funding from additional sources.
Scotland's share of the money raised by the UK Government from the Aggregates Levy is indirectly reflected in the Scottish Government's overall spending review settlement. Environmental spending is a devolved matter and the Scottish Government's plans for environmental spending are set out in its budget. The Budget published in November 2007 outlined that planned spending on Sustainable Development and Climate Change includes the new Climate Challenge Fund. Through this Climate Challenge Fund, the government will support all communities across Scotland to take positive action to tackle climate change.
This new fund provides a higher level of resources for community initiatives compared to the Aggregates Levy Community Environmental Renewal Scheme from 2002 to 2008.
Information on projects funded from the Aggregates Levy: 2002-07 and 2007-08.
Community Environmental Renewal Scheme
The Community Environmental Renewal Grants Scheme, allocated half of the Aggregates Levy funding, assisted Scottish communities in localities close to sites of past or present aggregate extraction (rock, gravel or sand).
Community Environmental Renewal Grants from 2002 to 2007
In 2002-03 and 2003-04 the scheme supported a wide range of community based projects addressing the environmental effects of aggregate extraction such as visual impacts, noise, dust, transport and loss of habitat. Over these two years the Executive paid £2.8 million to 116 projects in communities throughout Scotland. Projects supported included community woodlands, path networks, interpretation of quarrying heritage and safe play areas away from quarry traffic.
Information about 2002-03 projects: Community Environmental Renewal Grants 2002-2003
Forward Scotland administered the scheme for 2003-04 on behalf of the Scottish Government. The projects funded in 2003-04 are listed on the Forward Scotland website.
From 2004 to 2007 more than £4 million was available for grants. For 2004-07, projects within 5 miles of a quarry did not need to demonstrate a link with quarrying, but had to fit within the following themes: landscape and community recreation, habitat restoration and local biodiversity, restoration and protection of historic environment, pollution mitigation, geological work.
Projects more than 5 miles from a quarry were eligible if they addressed some impact of quarrying activity (e.g. visual impact, noise, dust, pollution, transport, loss of habitat). This would mainly apply to routes affected by quarry traffic.
Forward Scotland administered the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme on behalf of the Government for 2004-07.
Grants under the 2004-07 scheme were announced on October 7 and December 3 2004, March 4, April 22 and July 22 2005, and March 3 and July 7 2006. With the completion of the seventh and final round of applications, £4.3 million was in total offered to 171 projects, which all required to be complete by March 2007. Examples of 2004-07 scheme projects.
Over the five years 2002-07, £7.1 million was offered or paid to 287 Community Environmental Renewal Scheme projects.
Community Environmental Renewal Grants in 2007-08
On March 5, 2007, the Scottish Government announced the Community Environmental Renewal Grants Scheme for 2007-08, with £1.75 million available for this.
Projects had to demonstrate environmental impact from quarrying activity (e.g. visual impact, noise, dust, pollution, transport, loss of habitat), or involve restoration of a quarry disused since 1980.
In 2007-08 the scheme supported projects directed at the provision, restoration, protection or the promotion of understanding of:
- landscape, habitats and local biodiversity
- the built or cultural environment, including historic, geological or archaeological heritage
- community recreational amenities.
Environment Minister Michael Russell announced on August 2 funding of £1.24 million from the first round of the 2007-08 scheme to 29 communities across Scotland, and on September 12 grant of £497,116 for 16 more projects from the second round of the scheme: this page lists the announced projects.
However, the final total of projects supported in 2007-08 increased from 45 to 48 as a result of the progress of approved projects and funding consequently available to support some projects held in reserve for this possibility.
The 2007-08 grant scheme was managed by Forward Scotland. This was part of a grant scheme including also Environmental Justice Fund grants - there is separate information on Environmental Justice and the Environmental Justice Fund grants offered in 2007-08.
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