Rural Payments and Services

The aim of the Stock Fence for Improving Public Access item is to protect a newly created or upgraded path from grazing livestock, and to protect users of the new path from grazing livestock.

The aim of Stock Gate for Improving Public Access item is to enable stock gates to be provided as part of a stock fence, where the new fencing is eligible and field gates are required for stock management or operational access purposes.

New stock fencing associated with a newly created or upgraded path capital item is eligible.

The stock gate must be part of a stock fence associated with a newly created or upgraded path capital item. You must combine this item with the Stock Fence for Improving Public Access item.

You must identify the location of the proposed fence on a map.

If you have shared responsibility for the fence, a Shared Boundary Agreement form must be completed and submitted with your application.

Stock Fence for Improving Public Access:

• you must erect a fence that will form a stock-proof barrier
• for conventional stock fencing, there must be a minimum of six line wires or two line wires and woven wire netting
• posts must be placed at intervals of no more than 3.5 metre centres. For a high tensile fence, the posts can be placed at up to 12 metre centres
• if using permanent electric fences, you must display warning notices. These must be placed at access points and suitable intervals of not more than 100 metres along the length of the fence line
• barbed wires must not be used in electrified fences
• any barbed or electrified wire on the field side must be protected by a plain wire on the path side

The proposed fencing must only be on the side(s) of the path where protection from grazing livestock is required. Proposals for double fences (i.e. new fencing on both sides of the path) will therefore only be acceptable where there is demonstrable grazing livestock pressure from both sides, and where there is not an existing fence to provide existing protection from one side. (Double fencing has disadvantages: extensive stretches are unappealing for path users, and it can hinder routine maintenance).

Stock Gate for Improving Public Access:

• gates must be stock proof
• gates must be either timber or galvanised steel, and must be at least 3,000 millimetres wide
• gate posts (both the hanging and slam posts) must be either timber or galvanised steel
• if timber, gates and gateposts must be pressure-treated softwood or untreated hardwood
• posts must be firmly dug or driven into the ground and concreted in if required
• gates must swing freely
• wire, twine or rope are not acceptable as latches
• all materials must be new
• surfaces through gates must be firm, level and well drained
• the gate must be positioned in the new fence alongside the new path, and must not be positioned across the path

You can claim:

• £5.50 per metre of stock fence
• £2.75 per metre of stock fence where the fence will form a shared boundary
• £170.00 per stock gate

Stock fencing can be supported with the following capital items:

• Stock Gate for Improving Public Access
• Gate – Self closing, One-way Opening Gate
• Gate – Self-closing, Two-way Opening Gate

The inspectors will check:

Stock Fence for Improving Public Access

• the location and extent of the work
• you have erected a fence that will form a stock-proof barrier
• for conventional stock fencing, there is a minimum of six line wires or two line wires and woven wire netting
• posts are placed at intervals of no more than 3.5 metre centres. For a high tensile fence, the posts can be placed at up to 12 metre centres
• if using permanent electric fences, you have displayed warning notices. These must be placed at access points and suitable intervals of not more than 100 metres along the length of the fence line
• barbed wires are not used in electrified fences
• any barbed or electrified wire on the field side is protected by a plain wire on the path side

Stock Gate for Improving Public Access

• the location and extent of the work
• gates are stock proof
• gates are either timber or galvanised steel, and are at least 3,000 millimetres wide
• gate posts (both the hanging and slam posts) are either timber or galvanised steel
• if timber, gates and gateposts are pressure-treated softwood or untreated hardwood
• posts are firmly dug or driven into the ground and concreted in if required
• gates swing freely
• wire, twine or rope have not been used as latches
• all materials are new
• surfaces through gates are firm, level and well drained
• the gate is positioned in the new fence alongside the new path, and not positioned across the path

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