The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Essex Coast) Designation Order 1994

• Citation: S.I. 1994/711
• Sections: 17

Section 1 Title and commencement

This Order may be cited as the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Essex Coast) Designation Order 1994 and shall come into force on 6th April 1994.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) In this Order—

“access route” means a strip of land 10 metres wide which is the subject of an agreement including the requirements specified in Schedule 4 as to public access;

“agreement” means an agreement under section 18(3) of the Agriculture Act 1986 as respects agricultural land in the area designated by article 3;

“conservation plan” means a plan for the carrying out of one or more of the operations specified in Schedule 5 which the farmer undertakes, as part of an agreement, to implement within a period of two years;

“farmer” means a person who has an interest in agricultural land in the area designated by article 3 and who has entered into an agreement with the Minister;

“grassland” means land on which the vegetation consists primarily of grass species;

“livestock unit” means—

1 bovine animal more than two years old;

1.66 bovine animals from six months old to two years old inclusive;

6.66 sheep; or

1 horse more than six months old;

“permanent grassland” means grassland which has not been ploughed or reseeded for at least five years;

“recognised dairy breed” means one of the following breeds, namely, Ayrshire, British Friesian, British Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry.

(2) Any rference in this Order to a numbered article or Schedule shall be construed as a reference to the article or Schedule bearing that number in this Order.

Section 3 Designation of environmentally sensitive area

There is hereby designated as an environmentally sensitive area the area of landon the Essex Coast in the County of Essex which is shown coloured yellow on themaps contained in the volume of maps marked “volume of maps of the Essex Coast environmentally sensitive area” dated 3rd March 1994, signed and sealed by the Minister and deposited at the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR.

Section 4 Requirements included in an agreement

An agreement shall include the requirements specified in Schedule 1 as to agricultural practices, methods and operations and the installation and use of equipment.

Section 5 Requirements included in an agreement

An agreement may also include the requirements as to public access specified in Schedule 2 to this Order.

Section 6 Breach of requirements

An agreement shall include provisions that—

(a) in the event of a breach by the farmer of the requirements referred to in article 4 which are included in the agreement, the Minister may give the farmer notice in writing terminating the agreement forthwith and may recover from the farmer as a debt an amount equivalent to the payments made by the Minister under the agreement or such part thereof as the Minister may specify;

(b) any question arising under the agreement as to whether there has been a breach of any of the requirements referred to in article 4 shall be referred to and determined by a single arbitrator to be agreed between the parties or in default of agreement to be appointed by the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration Act 1950 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force.

Section 7 Rates of payment under agreement

(1) The Minister shall make payments under an agreement at a rate of £70 per annum per hectare of permanent grassland to which the agreement relates, unless a higher rate is applicable in accordance with paragraph (3) below.

(2) Where an agreement includes the requirements as to public access specified in Schedule 2 the Minister shall make payments at the rate of £170 per annum for each hectare of access route.

(3) Where an agreement includes the additional provisions specified in any of the options in Schedule 3 in relation to any permanent grassland, the Minister shall make payments at the rate per annum for each hectare of that land shown in the following table—

(4) Where an agreement includes the additional provisions specified in Schedule 4 in relation to any land the Minister shall make payments at a rate of £220 per annum for each hectare of that land.

(5) Where an agreement includes a conservation plan, the Minister shall also make payments in respect of the aggregate of the operations included in the plan at a rate not exceeding £75 per annum for each hectare of land to which the agreement relates, subject to a maximum of £3,000 for each such plan.

Section 1

The construction of water penning structures or other works designed to control water levels.

Section 2

The construction or reconstrution of culverts and other farm ditch crossings.

Section 3

The restoration of ditches and dykes.

Section 4

The restoration of ponds.

Section 5

The restoration of reedbeds.

Section 6

The provision of water supplies, fencing and collection pens associated with the reintroductionof livestock for grazing.

Section 7

The planting, laying or coppicing of hedges.

Section 8

The creation or improvement of herb-rich grassland.

Section 9

Works to protect historic and archaeological features.

Section 10

The provision and restoration of gates, stiles and footbridges where an agreement includesthe requirements of Schedule 2 as to public access.