COMMUNITY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SCHEME (CARES)
Application for CARES Assistance – Pre-Planning Loan Stage Two Application Form
Version 6
This application must be completed with help from your appointed Local Energy Scotland
Development Officer www.localenergyscotland.org/contact-us. Contact with your local
Development Officer must be made in advance of submitting an application. The prompts
and structure within this form relate to typical CARES projects, however we know not all
projects are the same so please liaise with your Development Officer if you need help fitting
your project within this form. Please note that only this, and not the Stage 1 Application
Form, will be submitted to the CARES panel for assessment.
Before completing this form please visit www.localenergyscotland.org/cares and ensure
that you are completing the most up to date version.
Please note Shared Ownership projects must fill out all orange sections.
Section 1
Section 1a – Client Contact Details
Application Date:
CARES Project No.
Project Name:
Main Applicant Contact:
Title:
Position in
organisation:
Home address:
Home Postcode:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
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Alternative contact:
CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 1a.i Partner Contact Details
Partner Main Contact:
Alternative contact:
Title:
Position in
organisation:
Home address:
Home Postcode:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
Section 1b - Organisation Details
Organisation Name
Applicant Type
Registered Address
Postcode
Telephone
Email
Local Authority
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Section 1c - Applicant Type (Please tick most relevant)
Agricultural
Rural SME
Community Organisation
Shared Ownership Project
Please state organisation/business type
(e.g. company limited by guarantee, private limited company, sole trader, partnership, cooperative):
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Please describe your business/ organisation and what your main activities are:
Section 1d – Applicant Registration Numbers
Agricultural Holding
Charity Number:
Number:
Company Number:
Are you VAT registered?
VAT Number:
Please supply supporting legal documents to corroborate applicant registration details (e.g.
Mem. and Arts. Of Association, Constitution, Partnership agreement). Documents
attached ☐
Section 1e – Office Bearers/ Directors/ Partners/ Trustees
(Please supply the following details, where appropriate)
Chairperson
Secretary
(or equivalent)
(or equivalent)
Name
Address [1]
Address [2]
Town
Postcode
Tel No
Email
Treasurer
(or equivalent)
Please confirm that you have been given permission to share these details ☐
Section 1f– Site Information
In relation to the potential site, do you currently (please check the most relevant):
☐Own the land
☐Lease the land
☐Have an Options Agreement for renewable energy development with the landowner
☐Shared Ownership project where partner has right to the land (own or lease)
☐None of the above
If further detail is required please include below:
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
What is the location of the potential site?

Local authority area:

Please provide the location (if identified),
expressed as Longitude and Latitude.
(e.g. 55.981232, -3.1752677)
Please visit UK Grid Reference Finder.com for help in finding latitude and longitude.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 2
Section 2a - Details about your project
Project Description
Please describe your
proposed project.
Please include:
 Project type (e.g.
Wind, Hydro,
Anaerobic Digestion,
Photovoltaic, other).
 Proposed size (MW)
 Estimated capital cost
£’000
 Expected output
(MWh)
If you are a Shared
Ownership project please
include:
 The % of your share
 The equivalent size
(MW)
 The est. capital of
your share
 The expected output
of your share (MWh)
 Agreement to date
 Legal status
 Financial viability
 Project Management
Please ensure that all
necessary details are
supplied by using the check
list provided with this
application form.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Project Background
Please briefly explain what
has been achieved to date,
providing any milestones that
have been reached.
For Shared Ownership
projects please describe how
you have spent your start up
grant and what you have
achieved to date.
Technical details
Please provide any technical
details that you already have
about your project. These
may include:
 Technology type
 Size in kW of proposed
project
 Details of any feasibility
work undertaken
 Details of any other
project development
work undertaken
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 2b – Project Plan
Project Plan
Please detail when the
following milestones will be
achieved. There will be an
expectation that milestones
are met, and if not this
should be discussed with
your local development
officer.
Shared Ownership projects;
please indicate if you have
access to these project
documents, if they are
subject to a NDA please
arrange for your LES DO to
see them.
Feasibility Study
Options Agreement
Grid Connection Application
RADAR Study
Communications Study
Bird Surveys
Environmental Surveys
Planning Application
Community Consultation
Community Agreement
Date
commenced
Date
completed
Section 2c – Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment
Please address the following
potential risks associated
with this project and describe
how these risks will be
managed. Enter ‘n/a’ if not
applicable.
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Comments
CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Land Tenure
Financial Viability (for
M&TCDT’s share)
Site Access
Capacity to Manage and
Deliver Project
Grid Connection
Planning Consent
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Environmental Issues
Noise
RADAR and Communications
Landscape and Visual Issues
AD Feedstock Supply
Managing Pre-Development
Costs
Managing Capital Costs
Access to Finance
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 2d – Planning Status
Shared Ownership projects should complete this section fully.
Local Planning Policy
Detail any local planning policy specific
to the scale and nature of the project.
Pre-application meeting
Detail the outcome of your preapplication meeting(s) with
representatives from the local planning
department.
Please detail the communication that has
taken place with the Planning Authority.
Guidance on pre-application meeting
request is available in CARES toolkit
www.localenergyscotland.org/tools
Planning Applications
Please indicate whether or not there
have been any previous planning
applications submitted for this or nearby
sites.
If there have been, please provide details
and outcomes.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 2e – Further Project Information
Project Delivery
Describe what skills,
experience, knowledge and
other resources the applicant
brings to manage this project.
Explain what other support
will be brought in to deliver
this project, if it is required
(e.g. consultants, land
agents)
Any Conflicts of Interest?
Declare any conflicts of
interest. For example,
landowner for project is an
office bearer of community
group.
Please describe how any
conflicts of interest will be
addressed.
Additionality
CARES support is aimed at
projects that require
additional financial
assistance. Please state why
CARES support is required for
the project to continue.
Permission to use the land /
water
Describe what legal
agreements have been /will
be put in place to allow the
land to be used to host the
energy generation
installation. This needs to
include access arrangements
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
and also relates to any
neighbouring land that is
required for the
development.
Please include when you
expect to conclude the
agreement(s)
Section 3
Section 3a - Community Engagement
Please refer to the Community Benefit Guidance for CARES applicants.
Neighbour Notification
It is a requirement of the CARES
scheme that all properties within
1km of the project site are
notified in writing with details
about the project.
You should also feedback
responses to the CARES team to
allow local views to be
understood.
Please detail any neighbour
notification that has taken place.
A template notification letter is
included as an Appendix in the
CARES Project Development
Toolkit.
Number of homes within 1km of
the proposed project site
Community Consultation
What has been done to consult
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
and engage with the wider
community to let them know
about your development and
plans? What has the community
been told will be done with the
community benefit fund?
Please supply any evidence of
support that you have to date or
how this will be secured and
when.
Section 3b - Community Benefit
Please note that community benefit provision should be delivered in line with Scottish
Government Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable
Energy Developments, available at www.localenergyscotland.org/goodpractice. Annex 11.1
is of particular relevance to small scale projects and CARES applicants.
1. Non-profit distributing community organisations.
(Please note this forms a central condition of the CARES loan and must be commenced prior
to loan approval.)
Please indicate the anticipated benefit to your community from this Shared
Ownership project:
This can be the anticipated income per year, over 25 years. Please also indicate level of community
benefit.
Community Investment
What will the funds generated by
the installation be spent on or
invested in? What are the
aspirations of the community
(e.g. local area development
plans)?
How will fund priorities be
determined?
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Please provide a copy of any
plans or relevant documents.
2. Farmers, land managers, rural SMEs, profit-distributing organisations,
(Please note this forms a central condition of the CARES loan and must be addressed prior to
loan approval.)
Beneficiary Community
Organisation
Following community
consultation, which local, nonprofit distributing community
organisation is likely to manage
funds from the proposed
renewable energy generation
project and why?
Please supply details of the
organisation and main contact
names.
Community Benefit Fund
What will the funds generated
by the installation be spent on
or invested in? What are the
aspirations of the community
(e.g. local area development
plans)?
How will fund priorities be
determined?
Please provide a copy of any
plans or relevant documents.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 4
Section 4 - Project Financing
Your contribution
Please indicate how
you intend to finance
the minimum 5%
contribution towards
the project
development costs.
Financing the
construction phase
Please provide details
on how you expect the
capital costs of the
project will be raised.
Section 5
Section 5a - Project Costs – total costs for period up to financial close
(Do not include capital costs)
Estimated total project cost to financial
close (£)
Tendering process
Please detail the process that will be
undertaken to obtain quotes/tenders for
project work and to select the preferred
companies/contractor(s), should finance
be secured. CARES framework
contractors can be found at
www.localenergyscotland.org/framework
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 5b - Costs applied for from CARES Loans
(The loan will only cover VAT if it is a non-recoverable cost.)
Item No
Detail Cost Element
Cost
excluding
VAT
VAT (where
applicable)
Cost
including
VAT
1
2
3
4
Section 5b.i - CARES Start up grant
Please itemise what you have spent / will spend your Start up grant on.
Item No
Detail Cost Element
Cost
Date Spent
Date will
spend
1
2
3
4
Section 5c - Sources of Finance for the Project
Funding Source
Amount
(£)
CARES (max 95%)
Own funds
Other – state source
HIE - CHECK
Total (£)
Loan Amount applied for
Note – each loan application should be
rounded-up to the nearest £’000.
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%
Secured
yes/no
CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 5d - Schedule for Loan draw downs
Payment
No:
Detail elements to be paid from
Draw down
Likely date
for loan
draw down
dd/mm/yy
Likely total
payment
amount
Likely loan
payment
amount
1
2
3
4
Please note the loan can be only drawn down on the production of receipted invoices.
Accurate estimates with dates for expected drawdown is important to ensure loan funds are
managed effectively.
Section 6
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON LOAN SCHEME
Lender Information
The lender under the Community and Renewable Energy Loan Scheme is the Energy
Saving Trust Limited, a company registered in England & Wales. (Registration number
02622374, Registered office 21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP.)
This is an application for a loan that is not regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If
you are applying to borrow £25,000 or less, you must be an incorporated body (such as a
limited company or limited liability partnership).
Work that is included as an eligible cost within the application should not commence until
you have signed and returned your loan agreement to the Energy Saving Trust. The loan
agreement will be sent with a loan offer, if one is made. The loan offer may only be valid for
a limited period, which will be specified in the loan offer document.
Assessing your application
There is no guarantee that your application will be successful. All applications will be
subject to an initial assessment on their eligibility and viability. The Energy Saving Trust
reserves the right to reject applications in its absolute discretion and will not be bound to
give reasons for doing so.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Your application will be assessed by an Independent Panel against an agreed set of criteria,
including the availability of loan funds. A competitive process will operate.
Applicants should note that before any loan offer can be made a credit check and
assessment will be carried out. The details of any credit scoring methods are confidential
and will not be disclosed.
Breach of conditions
The Energy Saving Trust reserves the right to terminate the loan agreement and requires full
repayment of monies outstanding at any stage if the loan conditions are breached or if the
information provided by you in this application form is false or incorrect.
Location of Projects
All projects must be located in Scotland
Credit Check
All applicants will be subjected to a financial check. Annual accounts, a business plan or a
bank reference may be required before applications are approved.
In order to complete your application process the Energy Saving Trust may make searches
about you at credit reference agencies who will supply the Energy Saving Trust with
information about the conduct of any accounts you (or in the case of joint applicants, both
of you) hold, as well as information from the Electoral Register or Companies House. The
agencies will record details of the search whether or not this application proceeds. This
could affect your ability to get credit elsewhere within a short period.
The Energy Saving Trust may use credit-scoring methods to assess this application and to
verify your identity. Credit searches and other information which is provided to us and/or
the credit reference agencies, about you and those with whom you are linked financially
may be used by the Energy Saving Trust and other companies if credit decisions are made
about you. This information may also be used for debt tracing and the investigation and
prevention of fraud and money laundering as well as the management of your account.
Information held about you by the credit reference agencies may already be linked to
records relating to others, if you have previously made a joint application.
If you are applying jointly, a financial link will be recorded at the credit reference agency,
which will be taken into account in future applications you make. This financial link will
continue until one of you successfully files for a “disassociation” at the credit reference
agency.
Where you borrow or may borrow from the Energy Saving Trust, the Energy Saving Trust
may give details of your account and how you manage it to credit reference agencies. If you
borrow and do not repay in full and on time, the Energy Saving Trust may tell credit
reference agencies who will record the outstanding debt. To prevent or detect fraud, or to
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
assist in verifying your identity, the Energy Saving Trust may make searches at fraud
prevention agencies who will supply them with information. The Energy Saving Trust may
also pass information to financial and other organisations involved in fraud prevention to
protect themselves and others from theft and fraud. If you give the Energy Saving Trust false
or inaccurate information and they suspect fraud, they will record this. The Energy Saving
Trust and other companies may use this information if decisions are made about you or
others at your address(es). It may also be used for tracing and claims assessment.
FOR SOLE TRADERS, INDIVIDUALS AND PARTNERSHIPS ONLY please complete the
additional questions below (for credit checking purposes): In the case of partnerships,
information is required on one partner only.
Full name and title:
Date of birth:
CURRENT AND PREVIOUS ADDRESSES COVERING THE LAST SIX YEARS IS REQUIRED
Current residential address and length of time at this address:
Years:
Previous residential address(es) and length of time at this address:
Years:
Years:
If you are applying to borrow £25,000 or less, you must be an incorporated body (such as
a limited company or limited liability partnership).
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Publicity
If you accept a loan offer and a loan is advanced, you must allow the Energy Saving Trust,
Local Energy Scotland or the Scottish Government to publish details of loan-assisted work
and provide reasonable access for other project groups or businesses wishing to learn from
your project.
Data Protection Statement and Confidentiality
The Energy Saving Trust will process your details for the purpose of assessing and
administering your loan application, and for the purposes set out in their Data Policy. The
Energy Saving Trust may need to re-contact you for further information to support your
application. The Energy Saving Trust will retain your information for monitoring purposes,
and may need to contact you in the future to assess customer satisfaction. The Energy
Saving Trust may pass your details on to the Scottish Government and to the Local Energy
Scotland consortium. The Energy Saving Trust will also share details with other funding
bodies to ensure that no double funding occurs.
The Energy Saving Trust’s Data Policy is available at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/DataPolicy-Terms-of-Use or you can request a copy from the Data Protection Officer at The
Energy Saving Trust’s registered office address.
Community Consultation
Where you accept a loan and you are a farmer, land manager, rural SME or a profit
distributing co-operative, you must enter into a legally binding agreement during the course
of the loan governing the provision of community benefit with community benefit
recipient(s) for the lifetime of the project, enforceable on successors in title. The minimum
requirement is £10,000 per annum per MW for wind and hydro.
Where you accept a loan and you are a local community group, you must finalise a formal
investment plan, in consultation with the wider community, during the course of the loan
setting out how income from the project will be spent on local priorities.
Where you accept a loan and you are a joint venture between a community group and
another group, you must finalise a formal investment plan, in consultation with the wider
community, during the course of the loan, setting out how income from the project will be
spent on local priorities. You must also finalise a binding JV agreement prior to applying for
planning consent and provide a copy to Local Energy Scotland.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Section 7
Section 7 - Supporting Documents
I enclose the following documents, where applicable to our project, in support of our
application (please mark in box to indicate which you have included)
Project programme of work
Map showing location of project
Feasibility study/Initial planning assessments
Permission to use land/water
Evidence of neighbour notification
Evidence of community engagement
Community Beneficiary organisation fund investment plan
Evidence of procurement and selection process
Screening/Scoping reports from planning authority and copies of correspondence
with other statutory consultees
Other: Memorandum of Understanding (FACT and Muirden)
Other: Non Disclosure Agreement
FACT Growth Plan 2013 - 2018
FACT Draft Business Plan 2017 - 2020
Tendering details ( SSG, SM and BP)
Statement of intent / Memorandum of Understanding
Legal Agreement (in negotiation)
Legal Agreement (signed)
Financial Advice
By signing this application form each applicant confirms the following:
I confirm that I am aged 18 or over and that the details in this application form are true and
accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I confirm that the project will not go ahead
without assistance from the CARES Loans. Where applicable, I confirm that I am authorised
to make this application on behalf of the applicant(s) (in the case of partnerships, companies
and limited liability partnerships) and that I am authorised to enter into any loan agreement
on its behalf. The person(s) signing this form will be required to sign all future loan
documents. I agree to authorise the Energy Saving Trust to undertake a credit check in the
amount of the loan applied for on this form.
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CARES Pre-Planning Application S2
Please indicate by ticking the box below:
I have read the CARES guidance notes which include information about EU
State Aid.
Please indicate which type of loan you are applying for by ticking one of the boxes below:
I am applying for a CARES LOAN with a write-off facility and confirm the
loan does not exceed the De Minimis ceiling for EU State Aid.
I am applying for a CARES LOAN without a write-off facility because the
loan will exceed the De Minimis ceiling for EU State Aid (currently £179,960
over three years, or £6,748 for agricultural businesses planning to use the
power generated on-site in their agricultural business).
Authorised Signatory for Organisation:
Signature:
Print Full
Name:
Position in
Organisation
:
Witness signature
Signature:
Print Full
Name:
Address:
Date:
Place of
Signing:
Please email a Microsoft Word version to [email protected] and return a signed
hard copy of this form to:
Local Energy Scotland
Energy Saving Trust
Second Floor
Ocean Point 1
94 Ocean Drive
Edinburgh
EH6 6JH
Please note no work relating to this project should be undertaken until written
confirmation of an offer of a loan has been received from Energy Saving Trust. When
submitting hard copies of applications, please also send electronic Microsoft Word version
to [email protected]
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