{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/livestock-and-machinery-hardcore-tracks-rp4","content_id":"58eff47d-13d7-40af-ba46-d1fc6047f690","description":"Find out about eligibility and requirements for the livestock and machinery hardcore tracks 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>£44.63 per metre (m).</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment\">How this item benefits the environment</h2>\n\n<p>New farm tracks reduce soil compaction and erosion caused by livestock and machinery. They help reduce channelling of surface runoff and the risk of sediment and other pollutants entering a watercourse.</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 only use this item either:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>with the support of <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catchment-sensitive-farming-reduce-agricultural-water-pollution\">Catchment Sensitive Farming</a>\n</li>\n  <li>in combination with actions or options for to create, restore or manage habitats or features with the support of a Natural England adviser</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Catchment Sensitive Farming provides advice where there are water quality or flood risk issues linked to farming.</p>\n\n<p>You’ll need to get relevant advice or consents from the Highways Authority if the proposed route is a public right of way.</p>\n\n<p>You cannot use this item:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>to repair potholes or upgrade existing constructed tracks and farm drives that have a manufactured surface</li>\n  <li>on historic or archaeological features identified in your <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://hefer-data.org.uk/\">Historic Environment Farm Environment Record</a> (HEFER)</li>\n  <li>on areas of wildlife interest identified on your Farm Environment Record (FER) or on <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx\">MAGIC</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 complete the works following this advice.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"installing-hardcore-tracks\">Installing hardcore tracks</h3>\n\n<p>You must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>excavate a trench at least 2.4m wide and at least 150 millimetres (mm) deep, or down to a naturally occurring hard surface</li>\n  <li>profile  the edge of the track with the excavated soil</li>\n  <li>overlay the area with a geotextile membrane if the base of the trench lies on subsoil – a geotextile membrane is not needed if the base is bedrock or chalk</li>\n  <li>fill the excavated area with aggregate (hardcore) to a depth of at least 150mm and then compact it</li>\n  <li>finish the top of the track with a finer material (of 18mm to dust) to a depth of 25mm to 50mm – compact it into a convex camber (like a dome shape)</li>\n  <li>direct any track runoff to a ditch or other stable drainage outlet, or divert it on to grassland</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"installing-hardcore-tracks-using-concrete-sleepers\">Installing hardcore tracks using concrete sleepers</h3>\n\n<p>You must excavate a trench following the instructions above and lay the concrete sleepers:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>inverted and  so the top of the sleepers are slightly above ground level</li>\n  <li>directly on to a level, firm surface against each other to form a track across the trench (a geotextile membrane is not required)</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"installing-hardcore-tracks-on-peaty-soils\">Installing hardcore tracks on peaty soils</h3>\n\n<p>You must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>excavate a trench 2.4m wide and at least 300mm deep (or 500mm on deep peats)</li>\n  <li>dig out soft pockets in the profile, drain them, fill them with well compacted hardcore and cap them with clay</li>\n  <li>lay a geotextile membrane to the full width of the track, folding up the sides of the trench</li>\n  <li>lay the membrane in the trench on to a surface that will not puncture the material</li>\n  <li>allow at least 300mm for any sheets of membrane to overlap</li>\n  <li>fill the trench to within 50mm of the top with stone or hardcore (from 40mm to dust)</li>\n  <li>profile and compact the track to produce a convex camber</li>\n  <li>top off the track with a wearing course (18mm to dust) to a depth of 25mm to 50mm and compact it to produce a convex camber</li>\n  <li>make sure the geotextile membrane is fully covered – if necessary, you must use grass turf to prevent exposure of the membrane at the edge of the track</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must not use general, ungraded building rubble.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"evidence-you-must-keep\">Evidence you must keep </h2>\n\n<p>You must keep written support from your Catchment Sensitive Farming or Natural England adviser and provide it with your application.</p>\n\n<p>You must also keep and provide with your claim:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>photographs of the site during the different stages of construction or contracts, invoices or other documents confirming the technical specification for the completed works</li>\n  <li>photographs of the completed work</li>\n  <li>any consents or permissions from the local highways authority</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must also keep and provide on request:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>any consents or permissions connected with the work (in addition to the ones provided with your claim)</li>\n  <li>receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable</li>\n  <li>photographs of the site before works start</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, 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<h2 id=\"other-items-you-can-use-with-this-item\">Other items you can use with this item</h2>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these items:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/cross-drains-rp5\">RP5: Cross drains</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/installation-of-piped-culverts-in-ditches-rp6\">RP6: Installation of piped culverts in ditches</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 works meet relevant <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/products-and-services/standards/\">British Standards</a>.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"choosing-a-location\">Choosing a location</h3>\n\n<p>It’s best to:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>construct the tracks alongside field boundaries rather than across the middle of the field – this will help preserve the appearance of the landscape</li>\n  <li>avoid placing the tracks where they’ll cause runoff or lead to erosion</li>\n  <li>camber the tracks so there’s no standing water</li>\n  <li>use cross drains or bunds if you cannot camber the tracks</li>\n  <li>use cross drains (If necessary) on sloping tracks or tracks that lead on to a highway</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"when-to-add-a-geotextile-membrane\">When to add a geotextile membrane</h3>\n\n<p>You do not need to use a geotextile membrane for all types of soil. It’s not usually needed on firm shale and some limestone or chalk soils except on a steep slope. Clay soils and peats will need a greater depth of stone to make up the track layers.</p>\n\n<p>Tracks used by machinery may need a geotextile membrane and base layer of stone depending on the type of soil. Concrete sleepers alone are not adequate for machinery tracks.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"maintaining-the-tracks\">Maintaining the tracks</h3>\n\n<p>You should replace and compact any material lost to potholes and erosion. You should keep the track dry and firm and deal with any problems as soon as they appear.</p>\n","change_history":[{"note":"Updated links to guidance for Capital Grants and Agreement holder's guide from 2025 to 2026.","public_timestamp":"2026-05-28T10:07:22Z"},{"note":"General improvement for clarity.","public_timestamp":"2025-02-03T11:53:16Z"},{"note":"Change to sentence to read - to repair potholes or upgrade existing constructed tracks and farm drives, that have a man-made surface","public_timestamp":"2023-10-10T10:03:18Z"},{"note":"The Where to use this item, Where this item cannot be used, Hardcore tracks using concrete sleepers, Keeping records sections of this page have been updated","public_timestamp":"2022-12-19T16:39:08Z"},{"note":"Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants","public_timestamp":"2021-01-31T17:19:16Z"},{"note":"The Keeping records section of this page has been updated","public_timestamp":"2020-02-11T12:55:09Z"},{"note":"Updated for 2017 applications.","public_timestamp":"2017-03-07T17:09:47Z"},{"note":"Updated for second year applications (2016).","public_timestamp":"2016-03-29T15:45:09Z"},{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2015-04-02T10:52:03Z"}],"headers":[{"id":"how-much-youll-be-paid","level":2,"text":"How much you'll be paid "},{"id":"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment","level":2,"text":"How this item benefits the environment"},{"id":"where-you-can-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"Where you can use this item "},{"headers":[{"id":"installing-hardcore-tracks","level":3,"text":"Installing hardcore tracks"},{"id":"installing-hardcore-tracks-using-concrete-sleepers","level":3,"text":"Installing hardcore tracks using concrete sleepers"},{"id":"installing-hardcore-tracks-on-peaty-soils","level":3,"text":"Installing hardcore tracks on peaty soils"}],"id":"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"What you must do to 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