Search

If you are a Farmer

Scottish Rural Development Schemes (SRDP)

The SRDP scheme is designed to encourage farmers, crofters and common grazing committees to adopt environmentally friendly practices and to maintain and enhance particular habitats and landscape features such as archaeological sites.

The management of sites must be agreed in advance and may include:

  • controls over grazing
  • the cutting and removal of trees, scrub and woody plants
  • the repair of erosion damage
  • the establishment of unploughed buffer zones
  • the realignment of fences or tracks
  • re-siting of hard standings or feeding sites

For areas containing archaeological sites revealed only by crop marks, the site with a minimum 10 metre buffer zone beyond the visible remains must be taken out of cropping and sown to grass. The management of the site must be agreed in advance. When establishing the sward, the ploughing depth must not exceed 100 mm.

Further Guidance

More information can be found on the SRDP section of the Scottish Government's website.

Further guidance on managing archaeological sites can be found in Archaeology Scotland's Rural Guides.

Consultation

The Archaeology Service can provide information and management advice for SRDP schemes. When consulted, we:

  • carry out a search of all known sites within the scheme's boundary
  • check and record the 1st and 2nd edition OS maps for sites including old farmsteads
  • check and record new sites from our vertical aerial photograph collection

Please note: for SRDP consultations, excluding those involving forestry, there is a charge of £75 VAT per consultation. For SRDP forestry schemes please visit the ‘I am a Forestry Planter’.

Contact

For further information and queries please contact archaeology@aberdeenshire.gov.uk