Guidance

Water grants 2015: sheep netting (FG2)

Eligibility and requirements for sheep netting.

From:
Natural England
Published
2 March 2015

This guidance was withdrawn on

Capital items for improving water quality are now available through the Mid Tier of Countryside Stewardship.

Applies to England

Farmers and other land managers can apply for water grants.

Read the accompanying guidance to find out more about Countryside Stewardship water grants 2015.

How much will be paid

£4.90 per metre.

Where the item is available

This item can only be used on sites that need new fencing to address water pollution caused by farming in Catchment Sensitive Farming target areas.

When this item can’t be used

It can’t be used:

  • on historic or archaeological features; or

  • on a site where a fence has previously received a grant.

How this item will benefit the environment

This item will protect environmental features from livestock. It will also help to manage habitats.

Requirements

Applicants must send dated photographs of the existing site with their application for this item.

On the land

Successful applicants will need to:

  • remove all old fencing material before putting up the new fencing;
  • use softwood timber that’s fully peeled and tanalised, or treated with an approved preservative;
  • put up a steel wire mesh fence at least 1.05 metres high;
  • use additional strands of galvanised steel wire (plain or barbed) if extra height is needed;
  • use straining posts that have a top diameter of at least 125mm top diameter, or are 100 by 100mm in cross-section when sawn;
  • make sure the straining posts are 1.85m if they’re set in concrete and 2.15m long if they aren’t;
  • place the straining posts no more than 150m apart if mild steel line wire is being used, or 300m apart for high tensile wire;
  • use a straining post at every change of direction (horizontal or vertical) and at each end of the fence;
  • use struts that have a top diameter of at least 80mm, or are 75 by 75mm when sawn;
  • make sure the struts are 1.6m if they’re set in concrete and 1.9m long if they aren’t;
  • notch struts into the straining post at an angle of no more than 45 degrees;
  • use intermediate posts that have a top diameter of at least 65mm, or are 75 by 75mm when sawn;
  • make sure the intermediate posts are 1.7m long and space them no further than 3.5m apart; and
  • make sure that all the materials being used meet the relevant British Standards.

Keeping records

Successful applicants will need to keep:

  • consents or receipted invoices associated with the work, and show them on request;
  • any bank statements associated with the work, and show them on request;
  • dated photographs to show you’ve carried out the work to specification (submit these with any claim and show them on request).

What must not be done

Do not:

  • attach the fence to trees or hedgerows; or
  • block or restrict access to open access land

The following supplements can be used on the same feature as this item:

Published 2 March 2015
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