Herefordshire Council – call for sites
Changes to national policy in December 2024 has resulted in a significant uplift in the growth targets for the county, with Herefordshire having a mandatory housing target of 27,260 new homes in the next 20 years. As a result, the council has had to return to the plan-making process to devise a new strategy that can accommodate this increased level of growth.
A new ‘call for sites’ has been launched, this time .
Due to the huge increase in housing numbers, the council must give consideration to all available options. This includes any assemblies of land with potential to accommodate a new settlement.
Please note, the council is asking those who have previously submitted land to re-submit it in order to supply the additional information now required
Bluetongue control
Those with cattle and sheep will be aware that bluetongue control has changed which now requires pre-movement testing/ licenses for livestock moving from England into Wales.
This presents huge challenges, particularly in counties such as ours where movement across the border is essential. NFU and NFU Cymru are having ongoing conversations with the Defra minister, the deputy first minister and the chief veterinary officers for both Wales and England for a more workable solution.
In the meantime, if you missed the recent NFU webinar with the CVO on a bluetongue update you can watch it back. This covered the latest information on pre-movement testing and vaccination, and also the impact of restriction changes
FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscape) funding open
Farmers in the Wye Valley National Landscape are again able to apply for FiPL funding. This can be used to partially, or fully, fund a one-off project. So far FiPL funding has supported projects including the planting of species rich meadows, a poultry range to stop run off, hardstanding to improve livestock handling and fencing, among others.
There is a smaller pot of funding this year, so please get your applications in as soon as possible. For more information and how to apply, .
Local Resources Options for water use
The application window for Local Resources Options Screening Studies has now opened. These bring small groups of farms together to look at their future water resources options. Working with a consultant, the farmers produce a shared report that outlines future activity that could be carried out to secure water supplies. These have included individual reservoirs, shared reservoirs, water sharing and other more innovative solutions.
The application widow closes on 20 July 2025. For more information, .
Environment Agency Sprayline
With the dry weather continuing those who abstract in the River Wye catchment may find the Environment Agency ‘Sprayline’ helpful.
This is a service, purely for abstractors in the Wye catchment, which provides a recorded message telling you what the flow in the river is and whether any restrictions will be imposed on your spray irrigation license. The number to call is 08709 056 061