Paragraph 2

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

Sch.1, para.1(1) substituted by Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Shropshire Hills) Designation 1996 art.2(4 (a)
Sch.1, para,4(5) substituted by Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Shropshire Hills) Designation 1996 art.2(4 (b)
Sch.1 substituted by Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Shropshire Hills) Designation 1999 art. 7, Sch.1

As regards all permanent grassland which is the subject of an agreement—

(1)

the farmer shall maintain the land and shall not excavate, cultivate, plough, level or reseed except that he may chain harrow or roll to the extent that he did so prior to the start of the agreement from 16th July in any year until the following 31st March inclusive;

(2)

the farmer shall not cut or apply pesticides to areas of rushes from 1st April until 15th July inclusive in any year;

(3)

where the farmer cuts meadowland for hay he shall continue to do so for the duration of the agreement;

(4)

the farmer shall exclude stock from meadowland at least seven weeks before the first cut of hay or silage and in any event before 27th May in any year until the end of cutting;

(5)

the farmer shall cut meadowland in each year of the agreement, remove the cuttings and graze the aftermath but shall not cut before 16th July in any year;

(6)

the farmer shall wilt and turn any grass cut for silage before removal and shall graze the aftermath;

(7)

the farmer shall not graze with livestock soas to cause poaching, overgrazing or undergrazing;

(8)

the farmer shall not increase existing application rates of organic or inorganic fertiliser and in any event shall not apply more than 175kg of nitrogen per hectare per year. He shall not apply pig or poultry manure or sewage sludge;

(9)

the farmer shall not increase existing application rates of lime, slag or any other substance designed to reduce the acidity of the soil;

(10)

the farmer shall not apply any fungicides or insecticides;

(11)

the farmer shall not apply any herbicides except to control bracken, spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, curled dock, broadleaved dock, ragwort or stinging nettles. Except in the case of bracken control herbicides used for these purposes shall be applied by wick applicator or spot treatment.