Please note this functionality is only available in a Standard or Professional subscription
Introduction
The Countryside Stewardship Validator is a tool designed to assist users in refining and validating their Countryside Stewardship plans. This tool conducts a series of corrections, validation tests, and calculations to ensure each plan meets specified standards and regulations. Upon completing these checks, it generates two new plans: one with the prefix 'ISSUES', highlighting all errors and warnings, and another with the prefix 'VALIDATED', which incorporates all corrected and original features in their original styling, created only if no errors have been identified. These generated plans are intended to complement, rather than replace, the user's original submission. Additionally, an email summary of the validation process is automatically sent to the user, providing an accessible review of any potential issues or necessary corrections.
Key Features:
Automated Corrections and Validations: Ensures plans comply with required standards, making necessary adjustments and flagging issues where needed.
Dual Plan Generation: Outputs two (if applicable) new plans — 'ISSUES' for errors and warnings, and 'VALIDATED' for a cleaned version.
Email Summary: Sends a concise validation summary to the user, highlighting key issues and corrections.
Workflow
Submission: Click on the three vertical dots next to your plan and select Toolbox
Then select Countryside Stewardship 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.
Validation Process: The tool will perform a series of checks, including:
SBI number validation and RPA API checks.
Correction of Field IDs.
Land-use eligibility tests.
Overlapping polygons.
Capital Items evaluation.
Tier checks for stewardship levels.
Checks for intersecting SSSIs.
Checks if all features are within the relevant land ownership boundary.
Output Generation: Two new plans will be added to your map — 'ISSUES' for highlighting errors and warnings, and (if no errors were idend 'VALIDATED' for a version excluding errors and including corrected features. An email summary of the validation with an attached report are also provided.
Issue Types and Descriptions
Issue Type | Description | Issue Level |
Field ID Correction | Ensures all feature Field IDs are correct according to RPA standards. Corrections are made directly without issuing warnings or errors. | Correction |
Capital Items | Evaluate total capital value for Capital Items, issuing warnings if the total value exceeds £50,000. | Warning |
Tier Check | Issues a warning for features that are mid or higher tier, indicating potential requirements or considerations. | Warning |
SSSI Check | Issues a warning for features that intersect with a Site of Special Scientific Interest. | Warning |
Land-use Eligibility | Check if Land Cover Class Codes match the specified land-use field, reporting any discrepancies as errors. | Error |
Overlapping Polygons | Validates polygon overlaps against eligibility criteria, reporting overlaps as errors. | Error |
Land Outside of Ownership | Ensures that all features in the plan are within RPA field boundary for the given SBI number. | Error |
Understanding the ISSUES Plan
Depending on the Issue Level, polygons on the ISSUES plan are coloured accordingly: Red polygons for Errors, and orange for warnings.
It is advised to correct all errors in your original plan. You will know they are corrected if you use the Validator again and there are no longer any red polygons.
It is advised to be aware of any warnings (orange), as these indicate the information you should be aware of before submitting your application
Understanding the VALIDATED Plan
The VALIDATED plan is generated only if no errors were identified in your original plan. It includes all corrected features and all remaining valid (no-error) original features. It does include features that have been flagged as warnings (orange) in your ISSUES plan.