North Yorkshire Aggregates Grants Scheme
Since 2005, YDMT has administered this scheme, which aims to support projects that compensate North Yorkshire communities affected by quarries extracting sand, gravel and crushed rock.
Grants for communities affected by quarrying
The Scheme offers communities, organisations, private landholders and local councils the opportunity to implement a range of community and environmental projects that compensate local communities for the impacts of aggregates extraction. Eligible projects include the restoration of land to beneficial use for biodiversity, geological or historic interest and public amenity, the restoration of monuments, sites and structures and the conservation of biodiversity following damage caused by aggregates extraction, and projects that provide, improve, repair or maintain a public amenity.
Projects must be located in areas that suffer from the impact of aggregate extraction, have clear public benefits, involve or have the support of the voluntary or community sector, and be additional to the responsibilities of quarry operators. Grants can cover up to 90% of the cost of the approved works. Projects already completed through the scheme include restoring disused quarries as nature reserves, village hall improvements, and improving sporting and recreational facilities.
With income generated through the Aggregates Levy, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has provided £410,000 and £210,000 to North Yorkshire for projects in 2005/06 and 2006/07 respectively. The Aggregates Levy was introduced by the Government in 2002 to reduce demand for primary aggregates by making them more costly and make the use of recycled and secondary materials more viable.
The Scheme is being administered by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and the North York Moors National Park Authority
The last closing date for applications was January 2006, for projects
due to complete March 2007. Any news of further funding will be posted
on our News & Resources section.
