Landfill Tax Grant Scheme (LTGS)

Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust (CWMET) provides grant assistance to local community groups and organisations for environmental projects. The money comes from Cumbria Waste Management and Lakeland Waste Management as a portion of their tax bill under the landfill tax scheme.


Types of assistance available
The maximum grant available is £20,000 or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is the smaller. The percentage may be increased for grants less than £5,000. Due to the costs involved in registering a project we do not normally consider grant applications for less than £1,000 and would encourage projects to look at small grant sources such as the Neighbourhood Forum or Parish Council. Please telephone the Grants Manager to discuss your proposed project before completing an application form.


Who can apply?
To be eligible for a Landfill Tax Grant, applications must come from community groups or organisations which use any money raised for the benefit of that organisation, and must not be controlled by a local authority. They must be a not for profit organisation. They also must have a constitution which allows them to support at least one of the following objects:


Eligible Projects
For a project to be eligible for a Landfill Tax Grant it must satisfy one or more of the following objects as set out by law:

(a)   Reclamation, remediation, restoration or any other operation that facilitates the economic, social or environmental use of land where its use has been prevented or restricted because of previous use.

A site need not be contaminated to qualify for contributions. The creation of new wildlife habitats or public parks; re-development; or, other environmental or amenity improvements, are examples of projects that would qualify for contributions. No benefit must accrue to any person who carried out or knowingly permitted the previous use.

(b)  Any operation intended to prevent or reduce any potential for pollution or to remedy or mitigate the effects of any pollution on land polluted by a previous activity.

This includes operations that use techniques to treat contaminated soil on site or operations that remove the soil and return it to the original site after treatment. No benefit must accrue to any person who carried out or knowingly permitted the previous use.

(c)   Where it is for the protection of the environment, the provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or other public amenity in the vicinity of a landfill site (within 10 miles).

This would include the creation of wildlife habitats, conservation areas and urban forestry, and the promotion of positive land management and community involvement. But the park or amenity must not be operated with a view to profit.

(d)   Where it is for the conservation or promotion of biological diversity through:

i)   the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat: or

ii)   the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat, on land or in water situated in the vicinity of a landfill site (within 10 miles).

(e)  Where it is for the protection of the environment, the maintenance, repair or restoration of a building or other structure which is a place of religious worship or of historic or architectural interest in the vicinity of a landfill site (within 10 miles).

Such places must be open to the public. They must be located within a 10 mile radius of a landfill site and must not be operated with a view to profit.

Programme Constraints
It is possible that CWMET will not be able to provide grants for all potentially eligible applications. CWMET therefore reserves the right to prioritise applications to achieve the best value for money.


Is it applicable to me?
Please check the guidelines which are available on this website to help you decide if your project may be eligible. Please telephone or e-mail the office to discuss your project in more detail before completing an application form. If you have any other queries please contact CWMET.