{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/fencing-fg1","content_id":"7fcd5289-966a-40ce-add0-e3e26bd28595","description":"Find out about eligibility and requirements for the fencing item.","details":{"body":"<div class=\"example\">\n  <p>This item is part of Capital Grants 2026. You must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-2026\">Capital Grants 2026 guidance</a> to understand the rules and how to apply.<br><br>\nIf you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\">CSHT applicant’s guide</a> to understand the rules and how to apply.</p>\n</div>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-much-youll-be-paid\">How much you’ll be paid </h2>\n\n<p>£6.34 per metre (m).</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment\">How this item benefits the environment</h2>\n\n<p>Controlling livestock protects environmental features and helps to manage habitats.</p>\n\n<p>This item can help you protect, recover and improve biodiversity on your land.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"where-you-can-use-this-item\">Where you can use this item </h2>\n\n<p>You can use this item either:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>alongside a habitat management, restoration or creation action or option where you need new fencing to meet the grazing requirements</li>\n  <li>to prevent water pollution caused by farming – you do not need approval from Catchment Sensitive Farming and the parcel does not need to be in a high priority area for water quality</li>\n  <li>to protect environmental features such as newly planted trees, buffer strips and field corners taken out of management (or as agreed with the Forestry Commission as part of a <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\">Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT)</a> application)</li>\n  <li>as part of a <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/woodland-tree-health-grants-2026\">Woodland Tree Health grant</a>\n</li>\n  <li>as part of a <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-tier-capital-grants-2026\">Higher Tier Capital Grant</a> with <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/af1-plant-an-agroforestry-woodland-tree\">AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree</a> or <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/af2-plant-an-agroforestry-fruit-tree\">AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree</a>  (with the agreement of the Forestry Commission or Natural England)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You cannot use this item on a site where a fence has received a grant in the last 7 years</p>\n\n<p>Your <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://hefer-data.org.uk/\">Historic Environment Farm Environment Record</a> (HEFER) will identify:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>scheduled monuments</li>\n  <li>registered parks and gardens</li>\n  <li>registered battlefields</li>\n  <li>Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) sites</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must not use this item on scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens or registered battlefields without written approval from Historic England.</p>\n\n<p>You must not use this item on SHINE sites without written approval from <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.algao.org.uk/algao-uk/orgs\">your local authority historic environment adviser</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item\">What you must do to use this item</h2>\n\n<p>If using wooden posts, you must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>remove all old fencing material before putting up the new fencing</li>\n  <li>use softwood timber that’s fully peeled, coated with wood preservative and pressure treated or treated with an HSE approved industrial wood preservative, so you comply with Use Class 4 that’s defined in BS8417:2014 Preservation of Wood Code of Practice – you can use untreated durable timber as set out in the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/publications/forest-fencing/\">Forestry Commission guide to forest fencing</a>\n</li>\n  <li>erect the steel-wire fence to at least 1.05m high when installed</li>\n  <li>use additional strands of galvanised steel wire (plain or barbed)   if you need extra height. Use enough strands to control the livestock – they should be galvanised 4 millimetres (mm) mild plain steel wire or a minimum of 2.5mm high tensile wire   or barbed wire</li>\n  <li>use straining posts at least 2.1m long, at least 125mm by 125mm square or have a 125mm top diameter</li>\n  <li>set the straining posts no more than150m apart if using mild steel or no more than 600m  apart for high tensile wire</li>\n  <li>place a straining post at every change of direction (horizontal or vertical) and at each end of the fence – you must use suitable bracing to achieve stability</li>\n  <li>use struts that are at least 75mm by 75mm square or have at least a 75mm top diameter and are at least 2.1m long – you can use a box strainer with or instead of a strut</li>\n  <li>mortise (cut) struts into the straining post at an angle of no more than 45 degrees – do not secure by a nail alone</li>\n  <li>use intermediate posts that are at least 75mm by 75mm square or have at least a 65mm top diameter and are at least 1.65m long</li>\n  <li>set the intermediate posts 3m or less apart for mild steel and at least 4.5m for high tensile steel – adjust these measurements according to the ground conditions</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>When using metal fence posts, you must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>agree using metal posts with your Natural England or Forestry Commission adviser if installing on land in a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement</li>\n  <li>remove all old fencing material before putting up new fencing</li>\n  <li>erect the steel wire fence to at least 1.05m when installed</li>\n  <li>use strands of galvanised 4mm mild plain steel wire or a minimum of 2.5mm diameter high tensile wire or barbed wire</li>\n  <li>use additional strands of galvanised steel wire if you need extra height</li>\n  <li>use straining posts which are at least 2.4m in length</li>\n  <li>place a straining post at every change of direction (horizontal or vertical) and at each end of the fence – you can use suitable bracing to achieve stability</li>\n  <li>struts should be at least 1.8m long and attached to posts using a suitable connector</li>\n  <li>use intermediate posts at least 1.65m long</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You can install the metal posts according to the manufacturer’s installation recommendation.</p>\n\n<p>You can use any type of metal post, but they must be:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>suitable for the site</li>\n  <li>durable for 5 years from the start of your agreement</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must not:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>attach the fence to trees or hedgerows</li>\n  <li>block or restrict <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/right-of-way-open-access-land/use-your-right-to-roam\">access to open access land</a>\n</li>\n  <li>hard staple the wire to intermediate posts. The wire should be a running fit so it can move, contract and expand in different temperatures.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>If you have an existing agreement, you must continue to follow the specifications in that agreement.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"evidence-you-must-keep\">Evidence you must keep </h2>\n\n<p>You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.</p>\n\n<p>You must also keep and supply on request:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>any consents or permissions connected with the work</li>\n  <li>receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable</li>\n  <li>photographs of the existing site before work starts</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-higher-tier-capital-grants-and-protection-and-infrastructure-grants-2026\">Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants</a> for more information.</p>\n\n<p>If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\">CSHT agreement holder’s guide</a>.</p>\n\n<p>If you’re applying for this item as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant application, you must read the record-keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/woodland-tree-health-grants-2026/agreement-holders-guide-woodland-tree-health-grants-2026\">Agreement Holder’s guide: Woodland Tree Health grants.</a></p>\n\n<h2 id=\"items-and-supplements-you-can-use-with-this-item\">Items and supplements you can use with this item</h2>\n\n<h3 id=\"capital-items\">Capital items</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these items:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/water-gates-fg15\">FG15:Water gates</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/capital-grant-finder/fy6-restore-coppicing-in-woodland\">FY6: Restore coppicing in woodland</a> </p>\n\n<h3 id=\"supplements\">Supplements</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/rabbit-fencing-supplement-fg4\">FG4: Rabbit fencing supplement</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"advice-to-help-you-use-this-item\">Advice to help you use this item</h2>\n\n<p>The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.   </p>\n\n<h3 id=\"british-standards\">British standards</h3>\n\n<p>Check to make sure the work meets relevant <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/products-and-services/standards/\">British Standards</a>.</p>\n","change_history":[{"note":"Clarified the third point under 'Where you can use this item', and added a link to CSHT guidance.","public_timestamp":"2026-07-21T14:05:58Z"},{"note":"You can use this item as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant, or as part of a Higher Tier Capital Grant with AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree or AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree (with the agreement of the Forestry Commission or Natural England).","public_timestamp":"2026-07-10T07:14:54Z"},{"note":"Updated links to guidance for Capital Grants and Agreement holder's guide from 2025 to 2026.","public_timestamp":"2026-05-28T10:25:06Z"},{"note":"General improvement for clarity.","public_timestamp":"2025-02-03T11:19:22Z"},{"note":"One bullet point has been removed from the 'where this item cannot be used' section and multiple points have been removed and replaced throughout the 'requirements' section.","public_timestamp":"2024-08-12T10:43:29Z"},{"note":"Removal of text confirming FG1 Fencing availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.","public_timestamp":"2023-11-06T14:35:56Z"},{"note":"Update to 'Where to use this option' section, 'Capital grants' sub-section to include protection of environmental features.","public_timestamp":"2023-05-10T12:28:32Z"},{"note":"Included Farm woodland standard in the list of SFI pilot standards for which the item is available.","public_timestamp":"2023-03-01T17:53:46Z"},{"note":"The Requirements section of this page has been updated","public_timestamp":"2022-12-19T15:55:46Z"},{"note":"These requirements apply to agreements with a start date from 2023. For any existing live agreements, you must adhere to the specification as outlined in your agreement.","public_timestamp":"2022-02-23T10:36:28Z"},{"note":"'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot standards.\r\n'Requirements' section has been updated.","public_timestamp":"2022-02-01T10:44:51Z"},{"note":"Updated Where to use this item","public_timestamp":"2021-04-06T11:13:29Z"},{"note":"'Air quality' added to Land use.","public_timestamp":"2021-03-30T11:25:58Z"},{"note":"Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants","public_timestamp":"2021-01-31T09:52:48Z"},{"note":"Page updated to show latest record keeping ","public_timestamp":"2020-02-05T13:17:56Z"},{"note":"Capital item now includes woodland.","public_timestamp":"2017-09-14T08:44:10Z"},{"note":"Updated for 2017 applications.","public_timestamp":"2017-03-07T17:03:18Z"},{"note":"Information updated for applications in 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