Monitoring and Mitigation Fund

Project criteria

Aim and purpose of the fund: Developers within the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West boundary are now required to pay a small levy of £55 per dwelling to the borough council in order to help monitor and mitigate the adverse effects of increasing visitor numbers to Natura 2000 sites* resulting from the development. These levies have been drawn together to create the Monitoring and Mitigation fund. The fund is being administrated on behalf of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk by the Norfolk Coast Partnership. This fund operates on a competitive application basis to fund projects that will monitor and mitigate increasing visitor numbers to these sites in the borough of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk:

• and Bog SAC • and North Norfolk Coast SAC (Marine) • The Wash SPA • The North Norfolk Coast SAC/SPA • The Norfolk Valley Fens SAC (in West Norfolk)

It also includes other Natura 2000 sites outside of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk:

• Breckland SAC/SPA • The Norfolk Valley Fens SAC (all) • The SAC • The SAC/SPA

Who can apply? Landowners and managers of applicable Natura 2000 sites, together with those of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (‘SANGs’) and relevant Green Infrastructure projects will be entitled to apply to the fund.

Definition: For the purpose of the fund, monitoring is defined as additional systematic process of collecting, analysing and using information about site characteristics (e.g. flora and fauna) and/or visitors, carried out to identify adverse impacts of increased visitors to the site resulting from the development.

For the purpose of the fund, we define mitigation as projects that reduce or minimise adverse impacts of increased visitors within the site boundary, e.g. fencing, improved directional signage etc.

*Natura 2000 sites are either/both those designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA).

Min/max funds available for each application: £500 min. /£5,000 max. per application (this maximum limit can be increased in exceptional circumstances, particularly for collaborative projects between organisations).

Essential Criteria:

• Geographical location: Does the project relate to a Natura 2000 site/s situated within the Borough of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, or affect a Natura 2000 site/s which is visited by significant numbers of inhabitants of the Borough of King's Lynn & West Norfolk? • Growing visitor numbers/pressure: Is the project necessary in order to monitor and/or mitigate the impacts of a specific new development on the growing visitor numbers and/or visitor pressure on Natura 2000 sites? (e.g. pointed out by a present study, photos, pointed out by site manager, site wardens, NGOs, etc.) 1/2 HabitatsMonitoring&MitigationFund_Project_Criteria V33 v.2021_05

• All permissions are in place: Are all necessary permissions of any kind in place? (e.g. planning permission, landowner, Environment Agency licences, appropriate assessments, or indeed evidence that no permissions are necessary). • Timescale of the project: Is there a clear timescale of the project? (short- upto 6 months/medium- 6-12 months/long term- 12 months+) • Non-Statutory activity: Is the activity to be funded a non-statutory one, and not part of the running costs that an organisation would ordinarily or statutorily be responsible for? • Measurable outcome/benefit of the project (mitigation) projects should be capable of being monitored: Can monitoring data be provided to assess the impact of the project? The outcomes/benefits of the project should be measurable. (e.g. providing baseline information for future mitigation, etc.) • Fulfil wider objectives: Does the project support or form part of existing site plans and recognise other relevant policies relating to the site e.g. the Norfolk Coast AONB Management Plan, the Wash and North Norfolk Coast Partnership Management Plan, etc.? • Site citation: Does the project support the citation for the specific designated Natura 2000 site/s, and other citations (e.g. if it is also an NNR, SSSI or County Wildlife Site)? • Value for money: Does the project offer best value for money? Three quotes will be required for all works undertaken.

Desirable Criteria:

• Project continuity: Is there a plan to ensure that the outcomes of the project are maintained after funding has finished? • Added value: Does the project offer match funding in the form of cash, volunteer time or staff time? • Public engagement: Does the project involve support from the local community and offer public engagement? • General education: Does the project educate or engage with the local community/visitors about general environmental impacts on the Natura 2000 sites; and look to enable their involvement in the future of the site/s? • Demonstrate innovation or best practise – Is something new being trialled or is the project learning from best practise? • Additional environmental benefits – Does the project offer any additional benefits with regards to changes in the wider environment? (e.g. addresses coastal change, sustainable transport, enhancement of the site biodiversity, etc.) • Joint working – Does the project demonstrate complementary and joint working on projects at multiple locations through the region.

2/2 HabitatsMonitoring&MitigationFund_Project_Criteria V33 v.2021_05