Please note this functionality is only available in a Standard or Professional subscription
Introduction
The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) Validator is designed to help you identify potential issues in your CSHT application before formal submission. This guide explains all validation checks performed by the tool, the meaning of various errors and warnings, and how to address them.
Click on the three vertical dots next to your Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (2025) plan and select Toolbox
Then select Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Validator
Confirm that you want to run the tool by selecting Run.
Now select back to Map. You may need to wait a few moments and then refresh your map.
When you run the validation tool, it performs a series of checks on your mapped features to ensure they meet CSHT requirements. The tool generates either:
Validated Plan: Created when no errors are found (warnings may still be present)
Issues Plan: Created when errors are detected that must be fixed before validation can succeed
Validation Checks
1. Land Use Compatibility
What it checks: Verifies that actions and options are applied to eligible land use types as defined by the RPA.
Potential issues:
Land Use Errors: Occur when items or actions are positioned on ineligible land use types.
How to fix:
Check the feature options against their eligible land types
Ensure the RPA Land Covers data source has the correct land use codes assigned for your SBI
Reposition features to appropriate land use areas
If land use is appropriate but not correctly coded, update the land use code by submitting an RLE1 form to the RPA using this guidance
2. Boundary Checks
What it checks: Ensures all features are within your ownership boundary defined by your SBI.
Potential issues:
Land Outside of Ownership Boundary Errors: Features that extend beyond your defined ownership boundary.
How to fix:
Trim or reshape features to be completely within your ownership boundary
For National Trust LMS users experiencing sliver issues: These may be due to legacy projection issues - contact support@thelandapp.com for assistance
3. Feature Compatibility
What it checks: Assesses the compatibility between different options, capital items, and actions when they intersect or touch boundaries.
Potential issues:
Compatibility Errors: Features that cannot be used together in the same space or adjacent to each other.
How to fix:
Review incompatible feature combinations
Reposition or resize features to avoid incompatible overlaps
Select alternative options that are compatible
4. Designated Sites Eligibility
What it checks: Validates features against constraints from designated sites such as SSSI, SPA, SAC, Ramsar sites, Listed Buildings, and Moorland Lines.
Potential issues:
Designation Errors: Features not permitted on designated sites.
Designation Warnings: Features requiring consent from authorities such as Natural England.
How to fix:
Remove prohibited features from designated sites
For warnings, obtain necessary consents from appropriate authorities before proceeding
Use the relevant Data Layers to identify relevant designations on your holding before assigning actions and items
5. Historic and Archaeological Features
What it checks: Evaluates compatibility with historic and archaeological features including SHINE sites, Scheduled Monuments, Registered Parks and Gardens, Registered Battlefields, and other heritage features. In cases where your plan intersects any Heritage Data, a separate Heritage Data plan will be created for you.
Potential issues:
Heritage Feature Errors: Features conflicting with historic or archaeological sites.
Heritage Feature Warnings: Features requiring approval from authorities such as Historic England or local historical advisers, or features in an Excluded Area for which Land App cannot access heritage data due to the local authority
How to fix:
Remove prohibited features from heritage sites
For warnings, obtain necessary approvals before proceeding
If in an Excluded Area where the local authority has opted out, you must perform additional due diligence
6. Duplicate Features
What it checks: Identifies identical overlapping features that may have been created accidentally.
Potential issues:
Identical Feature Overlap Warnings: These occur when identical features overlap, which you may have created by accident.
How to fix:
Review and remove duplicate features
Keep only one instance of each feature where they overlap
7. Woodland Management Plan Requirements
What it checks: Identifies woodland improvement features that require a Woodland Management Plan.
Potential issues:
Woodland Management Plan Notice: Appears when woodland management options are used.
How to fix:
Ensure you have a Forestry Commission approved woodland management plan (WMP)
Obtain associated felling licenses covering all woodland in your application
Confirm your WMP supports the management objectives in your CSHT woodland improvement application
Understanding the Validation Report
The validation report provides detailed information about each issue found:
Error Location: Identifies exactly which features have issues
Error Type: Categorises the type of error found
Description: Explains what the error means and often suggests how to fix it
Related Features: Lists any related features that may be contributing to the issue
Best Practices
Run Validation Early and Often: Don't wait until your plan is complete to validate
Address Errors First: Focus on fixing errors before addressing warnings
Check Boundaries Carefully: Many issues stem from boundary problems
Due Diligence: Remember that passing validation does not guarantee eligibility - always conduct additional checks and consult with advisors
Limitations of the Tool
The CSHT Validation Tool is designed to help identify common issues but has limitations:
It cannot verify all eligibility criteria
It does not replace professional advice or official RPA guidance
Some aspects of eligibility must be checked manually
The tool may not catch every possible issue
Additional Resources
Remember that passing validation is an important step, but you must still ensure all other eligibility criteria are met before submitting your formal application to the RPA.