{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-laying-bn5","content_id":"783340c8-1934-4aa3-abc5-1de137087eea","description":"Find out about eligibility and requirements for the hedgerow laying 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 (<abbr title=\"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier\">CSHT</abbr>) application, you must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\"><abbr title=\"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier\">CSHT</abbr> 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>£13.52 per metre (<abbr title=\"metres\">m</abbr>). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary hedgerow being laid, not for each side of the boundary.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment\">How this item benefits the environment</h2>\n\n<p>Laying new lengths of hedgerow will rejuvenate with new growth to form a continuous hedgerow boundary. This will:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>provide new habitat and food sources for bees, pollinators and birds</li>\n  <li>help capture carbon</li>\n</ul>\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 where you have management control of both sides of the hedgerow with planted boundary lines of shrubs which are:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>at least 20m long</li>\n  <li>less than 5m wide between the major woody stems at the base of the boundary</li>\n  <li>made up of at least 80% native shrubs</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You cannot use this item on:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>lengths of hedgerow managed under Countryside Stewardship option <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/management-of-hedgerows-be3\">BE3: Management of hedgerows</a>\n</li>\n  <li>capital item <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-coppicing-bn6\">BN6: Hedgerow coppicing</a>\n</li>\n  <li>capital item  <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-gapping-up-bn7\">BN7: Hedgerow gapping-up</a>\n</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item\">What you must do to use this item</h2>\n\n<p>You must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>carry out work when the hedge is dormant (usually between 30 September and 31 March)</li>\n  <li>remove all fencing and wire that could get tangled in hedge plants to be laid</li>\n  <li>remove bramble, clematis and other scrambling plants</li>\n  <li>cut out all elder plants and prevent re-growth of stumps</li>\n  <li>partially cut through stems of existing shrubs near ground level (no more than 10 centimetres), lay the cut stems (‘pleachers’) at an angle approximately 35 to 45 degrees from the horizontal to close the gap and create a stock-proof barrier</li>\n  <li>remove the uncut heel from each pleacher</li>\n  <li>keep pleachers in position by bending (‘crooking’) and staking or staking and binding</li>\n  <li>keep all existing hedgerow trees</li>\n  <li>remove all cut material from the immediate site when you have finished hedgerow laying</li>\n  <li>control weeds during the first growing season after laying</li>\n  <li>prevent livestock and grazing animals from damaging the hedge by setting fencing at least 1.2m from the centre of the hedge or as close to the base of the bank as possible (if there’s a bank)</li>\n  <li>trim the hedge for 3 years after laying and allow the hedge to become taller and wider at each cut</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>If you need to fell trees, <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-felling-overview\">check if you need a felling licence</a> from the Forestry Commission. You must have this in place before you start cutting down trees or you could be prosecuted.</p>\n\n<p>You must not:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>lay hedgerows downhill</li>\n  <li>obstruct or block <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/right-of-way-open-access-land/use-your-right-to-roam\">entry points to open access land</a>\n</li>\n  <li>disturb breeding birds</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"evidence-you-must-keep\">Evidence you must keep </h2>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>You must keep a map showing the location of existing hedgerow trees in each length of hedgerow and provide with your application – this can be your Farm Environment Record</li>\n  <li>photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must also keep and provide on request:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>all 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 each length of hedge entered into the item before work starts</li>\n  <li>the date, location and method of any weed control carried out</li>\n  <li>the date of preparation works and laying</li>\n  <li>the dates of post-laying trimming</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 (<abbr title=\"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier\">CSHT</abbr>) 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\"><abbr title=\"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier\">CSHT</abbr> agreement holder’s guide</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"supplements-and-actions-you-can-use-with-this-item\">Supplements and actions you can use with this item</h2>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these supplements:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/earth-bank-restoration-bn4\">BN4:Earth bank restoration</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-supplement-casting-up-bn8\">BN8: Hedgerow supplement-casting up</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-supplement-substantial-pre-work-bn9\">BN9: Hedgerow supplement-substantial pre-work</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/hedgerow-supplement-top-binding-and-staking-bn10\">BN10: Hedgerow supplement - top binding and staking</a></p>\n\n<h3 id=\"sustainable-farming-incentive-actions\">Sustainable Farming Incentive actions</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these actions:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/chrw1-assess-and-record-hedgerow-condition\">CHRW1: Assess and record hedgerow condition</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/chrw2-manage-hedgerows\">CHRW2: Manage hedgerows</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/chrw3-maintain-or-establish-hedgerow-trees\">CHRW3: Maintain or establish hedgerow trees</a>  </p>\n\n<h3 id=\"countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-actions\">Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/chrw4-manage-hedgerows\">CHRW4: Manage hedgerows</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=\"choosing-the-right-hedgerow\">Choosing the right hedgerow</h3>\n\n<p>Understand the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/23/hedgerow-regulations-now-law/\">requirements of the Hedgerow Regulations 2024</a> to help you decide what management is needed.</p>\n\n<p>Choose a hedgerow that:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>has few gaps and enough stems to lay to achieve a continuous length of hedgerow</li>\n  <li>has stems between 5 centimetres (<abbr title=\"centimetres\">cm</abbr>) to 15cm in diameter – however, it’s possible to cut larger stems with a chainsaw</li>\n  <li>is tall enough to lay (at least 2.5m and ideally 4m high)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"how-to-lay-a-successful-hedgerow\">How to lay a successful hedgerow</h3>\n\n<p>To lay a successful hedgerow:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>only cut using hand tools (including chainsaws)</li>\n  <li>lay the hedge in the local style</li>\n  <li>cut each stem as low as possible but no more than 10cm from the ground</li>\n  <li>choose stems that do not leave large gaps when they’re laid</li>\n  <li>protect the newly laid hedge from damage by grazing animals – you may need rabbit fencing if local populations are high</li>\n  <li>leave as much side growth on the cut stems as possible</li>\n  <li>lay stems at an angle of about 35 to 45 degrees from the horizontal</li>\n  <li>keep any existing trees and leave the occasional ‘standard’ hawthorn or other species if this fits in with the local landscape character</li>\n  <li>keep deadwood where possible</li>\n  <li>plant up gaps using native species to improve the continuity of the hedgerow</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You may only need temporary fencing in place until the hedgerow has grown enough to form a barrier.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"controlling-weeds-and-managing-a-newly-laid-hedgerow\">Controlling weeds and managing a newly laid hedgerow</h3>\n\n<p>You should control competitive weeds (including brambles, nettles and grasses) during the first growing season. This will reduce the weeds competing with:</p>\n\n<p>laid stem-establishment and regrowth</p>\n\n<p>soil moisture, nutrients and light</p>\n\n<p>You can encourage dense bushy growth of the newly laid hedge by:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>trimming lightly for 3 years</li>\n  <li>never cutting back to the same point to allow the hedge to gradually increase in height and width by several centimetres at each cut</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>After 3 years, you can leave the hedgerow to grow unchecked until it needs managing again by laying, coppicing or trimming.</p>\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"Updated links to guidance for Capital Grants and Agreement holder's guide from 2025 to 2026.","public_timestamp":"2026-05-28T10:27:33Z"},{"note":"General improvement for clarity.","public_timestamp":"2025-02-03T11:17:39Z"},{"note":"Removal of text confirming Hedgerow laying availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.","public_timestamp":"2023-11-06T13:52:08Z"},{"note":"'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot Hedgerows standard.","public_timestamp":"2022-02-08T09:26:59Z"},{"note":"Updated Where to use this item and how much will be paid.","public_timestamp":"2021-03-09T12:14:15Z"},{"note":"Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants","public_timestamp":"2021-02-02T11:37:35Z"},{"note":"Where this option cannot be used - the reference to BE3: Management of hedgerows has been corrected","public_timestamp":"2020-04-14T15:00:57Z"},{"note":"The Requirements and Keeping records sections of this page have been updated.","public_timestamp":"2020-02-11T12:40:38Z"},{"note":"Information updated for applications in 2016.","public_timestamp":"2016-03-29T11:18:35Z"},{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2015-04-02T11:04:22Z"}],"headers":[{"id":"how-much-youll-be-paid","level":2,"text":"How much you'll be 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