Rural Payments and Services

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

The aim of this item is to protect an existing or newly created habitat from grazing livestock, or to control grazing within an existing or newly created habitat.

Any land where the area to benefit is included in a management option or a newly created capital item is eligible.

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

Please note, in light of the aim of this capital item, if there is a current stock fence in place and it is not derelict and would last the five years of an AECS agreement then funding for a new stock fence would not be considered acceptable.

Current and proposed grazing practices will also be considered in determining if the stock fence is necessary/beneficial for a particular management option.

Stock fence would only be eligible in relation to a capital item if it was required to protect the capital item or to protect people and livestock e.g. fencing off a newly created swale.

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

• you must erect a fence which 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
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim:

• £5.50 per metre
• £2.75 per metre where the fence will form a shared boundary

You may apply for payment on an actual cost basis for this item if the work you are proposing to carry out will benefit the notified features of a designated site, and where there are exceptional circumstances.

This item can be supported with the following capital items:

• Gate
• Gate – Self closing, One-way Opening Gate
• Gate – Self-closing, Two-way Opening Gate

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work
• you have erected a fence which 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.
• you have maintained a diary

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