Managing Steading Drainage and Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems

Date published: 24 November, 2017

For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.

The aim of this item is to improve water quality by helping to minimise the volume of dirty water and slurry produced by creating drainage breaks, and to allow surface water run-off from clean or lightly contaminated surfaces to be conveyed to a rural sustainable drainage system feature.

This item will fund works such as:

  • the installation of underground pipework to convey drainage from a collection point to where it will be discharged, such as to a slurry collection facility or to a rural sustainable drainage system
  • concreting discrete areas of existing uncovered steading surfaces to minimise the contamination of clean run-off or help create a drainage break, such as in conjunction with a channel or ramp
  • re-grading discrete areas of existing concrete to change the direction of run-off
  • the installation of ramps / sleeping policemen and / or channels or kerbs to help keep clean and dirty water separate

This item cannot be used to concrete extensive areas of a steading or to maintain existing concrete surfaces.

Rural sustainable drainage systems, such as wetlands, ponds and swales can then be used to treat the drainage collected from clean or lightly contaminated areas.

Many rural sustainable drainage systems features can also offer potential biodiversity and landscape benefits.

Any land is eligible, provided it meets all of the requirements set out below.

You must combine this item with at least one of the following associated capital items:

You can check if this item is available on your holding here.

You must prepare a diffuse pollution steading assessment which must include a map of the steading, identifying clean and dirty yard areas, and the actions that will be taken to improve drainage management.

Lightly contaminated run-off collected via works funded under this item must not be conveyed to a watercourse or clean water drain, unless via a suitable rural sustainable drainage system.

The maximum payment under this item is £10,000.

You can claim:

Standard cost items

  • underground drainage (including surface fittings, underground pipe, fittings, access chambers) – £35.46 per linear metre
  • concreting existing uncovered steading or court surfaces – £32.27 per square metre
  • surface drainage interception:
    - re-grade existing concrete areas – £34.53 per square metre
    - installation of ramps / sleeping policemen – £40.39 per square metre

Actual cost items

To ensure value for money, we require you to provide three competitive quotes for the installation of kerbs / channels / cross drains.

This can include:

  • purchase and installation of proprietary shallow-surface drainage channels, including cover lid or grate
  • purchase and installation of proprietary kerbs
  • installation and formation of kerb or channels from concrete in situ

The inspectors will check:

  • the linear length of drainage (including surface fittings, underground pipe, fittings and access chambers)
  • the area of any concreting of existing uncovered steading or court surfaces
  • the area of any surface drainage interception
  • that lightly contaminated run-off collected via works does not drain directly to a watercourse

Section Change
Spatial targettingWe've updated the target area map

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