These projects were approved earlier in 2016, all works have now been completed and payment made to the farmers concerned.
“This is a small but very important scheme which will make a huge contribution to preservation of our rural heritage and the enhancement of the rural landscape,” Creed said on Wednesday, adding that all of these buildings must be put back into some form of agricultural use, ensuring their ongoing relevance into the future.
“These are beautiful structures, made of local materials, by local craftsmen, and our scheme shows how sensitive conservation works can save an old building and return it to use,” the minister said.
All GLAS participants were eligible to apply under this scheme, which will remain open until the end of the current RDP period. Projects submitted for the 2017 scheme are currently under review and applicants will be informed of decisions by the end of February 2017.
First set of payments under GLAS
This is the first set of payments made under GLAS in 2016. The Department of Agriculture has promised farmers in the first and second tranches of the main GLAS programme that 85% of their 2016 payments will go into their bank accounts this week.
Under 14,000 applicants to GLAS III; most in tiers one and two