LRPS Applicants must be an English Local Authority, Mayoral/Combined Authority, or Mayoral Development Corporation, and must own the site or have the legal powers to remediate it. 

Contamination must result from historic land use, not illegal waste deposits. Grants only cover qualifying materials charged at the standard landfill tax rate at registered landfill sites in England.  

Successful applicants will need to demonstrate: 

• That the site is affected by contamination by reference to a detailed site investigation and risk assessment. This will include sites which have been determined under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, alongside other non-Part 2A sites which have been established as affected by contamination, making them unsuitable for their current or proposed use and where voluntary action to remediate land is proposed. 

• That landfill is the only reasonable option to deal with some of the contamination or material present at the site.

• That the site falls into the “landfill tax trap.” Applicants must demonstrate that the cost of landfill tax is acting as a determinative barrier to the proposed remediation project going ahead.

• That there is a plan to secure timely redevelopment or other clear social or environmental benefit. Public bodies will not be required to develop the remediated land themselves.

• That they have a high confidence that the landfilling will be completed within the lifespan of the scheme while maintaining quality, appropriate assurance, and benefit realisation.

Remediation must improve the local environment in at least one of the following ways:  

• Removing unacceptable risks to human health or the environment. 

• Returning contaminated or affected land to beneficial use. 

• Improving nature or enhancing biodiversity. 

• Delivering wider environmental or social benefits, such as climate mitigation/adaptation or increasing community resilience. 

These criteria and outcomes must be qualitatively and quantitatively evidenced and will be subject to scrutiny alongside economic evidence by an expert panel.

Land contamination can cause property blight and public health risks, creating stress for nearby residents. It harms nature, increases chemical exposure, and limits area growth due to high development costs

LRPS has been developed to help Defra understand (via pilot trials) if addressing the LfT barrier that public bodies face would encourage more remediation. The fund will incentivise public bodies to remediate land that might otherwise remain unused, enabling wider benefits such as land value uplift, new housing, and environmental improvements. It will aim to improve evidence on the costs and wider benefits of remediation - beyond contamination removal - and to inform future policy development.

Expression of Interest submission window closes 8 May 2026.

Complete the Expression of Interest Application on Find a Grant.

Land Remediation Pathfinder Scheme FAQs

We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions that have come up during the design of the scheme.  

SECTION A: WHICH PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE?  

 What sort of projects are envisaged to be eligible for funding? 

The eligibility criteria set out the funding parameters. As a pathfinder scheme, it is our intention to test the scheme in a variety of geographical locations and environmental contexts. A number of example projects were put forward by respondents in our call for evidence. We intend to fund projects in urban, industrial and coastal contexts.

 Is the remediation of closed/historic landfills in scope? 

The remediation of historic landfills (without a permit) are in scope, but a landfill with a permit issued under the Environmental Permitting Regulations would not be eligible regardless of whether it was closed or operational.  

 Which regulatory regimes does this scheme cover? 

It covers all land affected by contamination where substances in, on or under land have the potential to cause harm or pollution assessed in the context of a current or future use. It applies to sites being remediated voluntarily, sites being redeveloped under the planning regime and sites being progressed under the Contaminated Land (Part 2A regime). 

It does not apply to illegal deposits of controlled waste, inert substances, or invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed.   

 Is the funding scheme limited to the Landfill Tax element only or applicable to other areas of remediation?  

The grant will only cover the proportion of the Landfill Tax which makes the remediation project unaffordable (this is the maximum grant that can be awarded). Only materials subject to the standard rate of Landfill Tax will qualify. Applicants will need to demonstrate that the use of landfill is the only reasonable option to deal with some of the contamination or material present at the site. Applicants will need to cover all the other remediation costs, including using the National Quality Mark Scheme (NQMS) for land contamination and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQP). 

 What if a deposit for recovery option is available?  

Recovery is higher in the waste hierarchy than landfill as it makes use of waste in place of other materials you would otherwise have to use. We would expect successful applicants to recover as much waste as possible to minimise the amount that they need to landfill. Landfill Tax is only charged on waste disposed of to landfill. Waste used for recovery would not be eligible for the grant, as no Landfill Tax is charged.  

For Deposit for Recovery, you must send the Environment Agency a Waste Recovery Plan for assessment. This plan must include evidence that you will carry out a recovery activity, rather than a disposal activity.  

Evidence that the Environment Agency have assessed a proposed WRP and consider the activity to be disposal rather than recovery can be used to demonstrate that landfill is a reasonable option for disposing some of the contaminated material.     

Waste recovery plans and deposit for recovery permits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

 Could the funding go towards protecting legacy coastal landfill sites at risk of tidal flooding and erosion where contaminants risk negatively affecting adjacent internationally-important habitats, but which are not formally designated as contaminated land? 

The scheme will only pay for the unaffordable portion of Landfill Tax due on contaminated material as part of a land remediation project. Evidence that the land is affected by contamination and the health and environmental benefits of remediation will need to be presented as part of the application, and will be considered as part of our evaluation process.  

 Are there size requirements on the sites that will be considered? 

No, we are aiming to test this scheme on different sized sites. 

 Can the funding assist where there are s106 obligations that can’t be delivered to create a sustainable development? 

Yes, if the land was affected by contamination and the remediation project was essential to deliver the section 106 agreement and support the development proposed. The public body will still need to demonstrate why landfilling some of the contaminated material is reasonable and the value of the Landfill Tax makes the project unaffordable.  

The grant only covers the Landfill Tax, not the costs of remediation, so public bodies would only be eligible to apply if they have the required amount of funding to pay for the remediation.   

My project is about restoring land to a natural environment, rather than redeveloping it – would this be eligible?  

Yes, the scheme supports restoration of the natural environment and the benefits this will provide to wildlife and people. You will need to describe and quantify these benefits in your application.    

 If we have a scheme where only some contaminated material will be required to go to landfill (we will retain as much as possible on site) would we be able to obtain relevant tax support? 

Yes, the scheme is designed to cover situations where only a proportion of the contaminated material is sent to landfill. The applicant will need to provide evidence from a current Remedial Options Appraisal report to demonstrate why landfilling some of the material is reasonable rather than treating it using more sustainable techniques. The applicant will also need to show how they would minimise the amount of material sent to landfill and how they would track waste movements between the site of production and the landfill, should their bid be successful.  

 SECTION B: WHO CAN APPLY? 

Can this be applied to a private developer to enable a housing site to come forward? Or does the site have to be local authority owned?  

Your authority must either own or have statutory responsibilities to remediate the site. This is covered in 1 and 1(a) of the eligibility criteria. 

 Will we need to repay the grant if we remediate the land and then sell it to a developer? 

Not necessarily; however, you will need to demonstrate why the cost of remediation, including the Landfill Tax, is unaffordable.  The land will need to be sold at market value post remediation.

 Is a scheme eligible if the Local Authority has granted option agreement on the land to sell but sales keep failing as viability precludes development? Can it still be regarded as LA owned? 

Yes, as the Authority still owns the land. Also refer to answers above. 

 What happens if a site is sold to a developer under a Development Agreement for them to remediate the site and then develop - but land transfer is post remediation / build? 

The applicant would need to demonstrate why the Landfill Tax makes the project unaffordable and the project would only be eligible while it is owned by the Authority, or the Authority are carrying out the remediation using statutory powers. We will also need to be satisfied that the Development Agreement hasn’t been drafted in such a way to avoid the developer having to pay the Landfill Tax in circumstances where they will profit from paying the grant to the Authority.    

 If the land has transferred to the Crown Estate, can the Authority apply in that case? 

Only if the Authority has a statutory power to carry out the remediation.   

 SECTION C: OTHER FUNDING 

Can this funding be used alongside other bid funding?  

Yes. Other funding sources will need to be declared so it can be considered as part of the Value for Money element of the prioritisation criteria and as part of the due diligence exercise, to ensure compliance with subsidy control and other financial regulations. 

 Does other Government funding allocated to the site affect eligibility for this scheme? 

No, but it will need to be declared so it can be considered as part of the due diligence checks to ensure compliance with subsidy control and other financial regulations and as part of the Value for Money assessment which will be carried out to prioritise the bid. 

Funding from other government projects, such as the Brownfield Land Release Fund or Defra’s various woodland creation and tree planting grant funds may be used to evidence how you meet the criteria. 

Further information on the Brownfield Land Release Funding is available at Brownfield Land Release Fund | Local Government Association 

Other government grants can be found at Home - Find a grant (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk) 

 SECTION D: APPLICATION AND PRIORITISATION PROCESS 

Will an application form or template be published to help applicants draft and submit bids? 

The application will be completed using DEFRA’s Find a Grant online portal, which will include all the information requirements and questions you’ll need to answer. 

The scheme will be promoted through a variety of channels before the application window formally opens.  

Is there a limit to how much supplementary information we can attach/upload to Find a Grant to support our application? 

Word limits will be applied to each of the questions in the application form. Guidance will be provided on the supplementary information we require; it is not envisaged that there will be a formal limit but it should be proportionate to the application. 

Can an authority submit more than one application? And is there a maximum funding award cap? 

There is no cap on the number of applications an authority can apply for, as this is a pathfinder scheme and is intended to test the policy in a variety of geographical and environmental contexts. There is a limit of £30 million of funding for each grant.

Will you provide a template for the Remediation Options Appraisal Report?  

No. The format of these reports is well established following the guidance set out in Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM). 

How recent does the Remediation Options Appraisal Report need to be? If it is 10 years old can we still use it to support the bid?  

The Remediation Options Appraisal report will be a key document in establishing that the project is eligible and assigning a priority score. The strength of evidence that landfill is the only reasonable option to treat some of the contamination present will carry the greatest weighting in the prioritisation scheme. How recent the report is will be a key factor alongside other issues such as the quality of the report and compliance with the guidance in LCRM. It must be prepared by a competent person as defined in LCRM.  

As there will not be time to commission a new report in the application window we will accept the most recent report compiled by a competent person but will prioritise the reports which provide the strongest evidence. The highest priority will be given to reports which are (a) the highest quality (b) the most recent (within 1-2 years) and (c) the most authoritative – i.e. reports which are prepared by a competent person and signed off by a SQP under the NQMS.     

 How do I estimate the amount of Landfill Tax which will be due on the material I send to landfill? 

You must use the site characterisation data and the Remediation Options Appraisal Report to estimate the tonnage of contaminated material that you are intending to landfill. You will need to make appropriate allowances for (1) any material which can be recovered or recycled as part of the pre-treatment stage prior to landfill and (2) any less polluting material or qualifying fines which would attract the lower rate of Landfill Tax.  Grant is eligible on the tonnage of material which attracts the standard rate of Landfill Tax.  

What is the standard rate of Landfill Tax? 

The standard rate for Landfill Tax from 1 April 2026 is currently £130.75/tonne. Prices increase each year on 1 April in line with Retail Price Index (RPI). For the purposes of this application round, you should use the standard rate which has been announced for 2026/27. 

Landfill Tax rates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

What proportion of the Landfill Tax should I apply for? 

The proportion which makes the remediation unaffordable. The proportion of Landfill Tax requested will be one of the factors we consider when assigning value for money scores in the prioritisation scheme. 

 Where can I find further guidance on Landfill Tax? 

HMRC Excise Note LFT1: a general guide to Landfill Tax. 

 Will a greater weighting be given to projects that remediate land for future development uses (housing etc), compared to those that protect the natural environment? 

In the prioritisation scheme, the health and environmental benefits of remediation will have the same weighting as the economic and social benefits. Applications will also be prioritised on overall value for money so you will need to describe and quantify the benefits of your project.    

 What constitutes evidence of a plan for future use? Would an outline planning permission for development of the land based on a masterplan be sufficient, for example? Or a contract for redevelopment following remediation?  

We will take this into account on a site-by-site basis. 

What happens if the Landfill Tax cost turns out to be greater than the grant awarded (which is based on an estimate)?  

We have retained a contingency so we can make additional awards and payments as the project proceeds in the case of unforeseen funding requirements over the lifespan of the scheme. As the total value of the scheme will not change, applicants must make us aware of any issues which might affect costs immediately.

We will discuss contingency arrangements with successful applicants when agreeing reporting and payment schedules.    

SECTION E: SCHEME DELIVERY & TIMEFRAMES 

Is there a delivery timeframe for the sites to be remediated?  

The funding will be provided for the Landfill Tax element of the project. The funding is available from the 2027/28 financial year until the 2030/31 financial year. Claims for funding will need to be made in the financial year the activities are carried out and payment will be made in arrears based on receipts.

Do I need to have planning permission and environmental permits in place to be eligible?  

No: however, there must be a clear plan for redevelopment or delivery of environmental/social benefit. 

Do I need an environmental permit to excavate and dispose waste in an off-site facility?  

Environmental permits are not required for the excavation of waste and disposal in an off-site permitted facility. Permits also aren’t required for storage of waste pending its collection at the site where the waste is produced, except the storage of waste from an historic landfill as the landfill is not the original production site.  

If waste is stored for any other purpose or at any place other than the original production site, it needs a permit. Where waste is stored for >1 year at the same site pending its disposal (or >3 years pending its recovery) that is a ‘permanent site’, and the Landfill Directive applies. 

Do I need an environmental permit to treat land affected by contamination? 

While environmental permits are not required for the excavation of waste to dispose in an off-site landfill, they will be required for other in-situ or ex-situ treatment, recovery or disposal activities which may be carried out as part of the overall remediation scheme.   

Check if you need an environmental permit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

If you are not sure what to do contact the Environment Agency for help. 

Get advice before you apply for an environmental permit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  

If waste recovery or disposal to be carried out at the same time as treatment activities which will require site-based permits, you will need to seek advice from the Environment Agency and consider whether these permits are likely to be issued in time before submitting a funding application.  

How will payments be made?  

Payments will be issued as capital grants under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003. We expect to make payments based on receipts for payment on completion of landfill. The reporting and payment schedule will be agreed with successful applicants before works commence. 

Will this be the only window for applications with a view to allocating all the £80million or might there be further rounds? 

There are two application windows planned, in Autumn 2026 and Autumn 2028. 

My remediation project/first phase of remediation will be complete within the scheme’s lifespan, but redevelopment of the site or subsequent phases won’t be completed for several years. Can I still apply? 

Yes, but you will still need to describe and quantify the benefits expected to arise from remediation. Immediate benefits will be prioritised over future benefits especially where the future benefits are uncertain.  

Is the £80 million an annual fund or is this a one-off project? 

At the moment this is a one-off pathfinder project, being carried out over four years. We will use the information and lessons learned to feed into decisions on future land contamination policies. 

Will there be reporting requirements for successful projects? 

Yes, we are intending to develop a reporting process based around claims for payments supported by landfill receipts. The reporting and payment schedule will be agreed with successful applicants before works commence.  

You will also need to track and report on waste movements to enable you to link landfill receipts to the contaminated material excavated from your site to claim the staged payments.  

The remediation must be verified by a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) under the NQMS (National Quality Mark Scheme for Land Contamination). The SQP must submit a verification report within 3 months of completion of the remediation.   

 SECTION F: NEXT STEPS 

Will you be offering individual meetings for those who are interested in submitting? 

No, as this risks putting applicants who meet with us at an advantage. We will aim to answer as many questions as possible by providing non-site-specific generic responses to queries, which we will add to this set of FAQs, so all potential applicants have the same information. 

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: Local Authority Support Strand (LASS)

 What is LASS?

 In addition to LRPS, Local Authority Support Strand (LASS) funding will be available to help eligible public bodies develop their LRPS bids and to strengthen their longer-term capacity to deliver their land contamination responsibilities in relation to LRPS sites.  LASS funding will be available from Summer 2026, and public bodies may be offered up to a maximum of £100k – with awards payable over two financial years, allowing applicants to receive up to £200k in total.  Further information will be communicated separately on Find a Grant webpage.  

Will authorities receive LASS support funding directly?

LASS funding will be made directly to eligible LRPS public bodies using section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.

What types of support can be funded through LASS?

LASS funding will be matched to each authority’s capacity needs and offered across three different bands of support:

Band A : up to £40k e.g.  temporary resource to support evidence gathering or application preparation.

         Band B : up to £70k  – e.g. specialist technical consultancy for application and project support.

Band C (Intensive support): up to £100k (£200k over two financial years) - e.g. combined support plus specialist training to build wider longer-term land contamination capacity and capability

 Who is eligible to apply for the additional LASS funding?

The LASS will offer funding to help eligible local, combined and Mayoral authorities (and their development corporations) in England prepare LRPS who intend to submit a full LRPS application  -in either of the 1st or 2nd round application windows.

What commitments are required to receive LASS funding?

Successful applicants will be required to participate in the overarching monitoring and evaluation of the LRPS project and to produce a Case Study report. a Case Study report.