Rural Payments and Services

You must erect a fence which will be fit for purpose and will form a stock-proof barrier where your supporting information justifies the erection of a stock fence to meet the option objectives.

For conventional stock fencing:

• there must be a minimum of six line wires or two line wires supporting woven wire netting
• posts must be placed at intervals of no more than 3.5 metre centres. For a high tensile pattern fence, the posts may be placed at up to 12 metre centres (six metre spacing if cattle are present)
• barbed wire should not be used where either fallow deer are present or the fence is electrified
• if using electric fences you must display warning notices at access points and at suitable intervals of not more than 100 metres along the length of the fence-line
• you must install gates to allow for responsible access, management activities, or husbandry operations
• where a stock fence is used beside an access route and a barbed wire or electrified wire runs at the top of the fence, a single plain wire should be run on the outer (non-stock) side of the fence posts, to act as a guard for people on the other side of the fence
• any water gates must be designed to keep watercourses stock-proof, whatever the level of the water

Table: minimum woodwork sizes

This capital payment does not cover the cost of any gates (except water gates, flake gates, and sections of rail fence for access).

Gates are covered as a separate capital item.

We require this item to be in place, meeting minimum specifications and in good order for a period of at least five years following the date you received your payment

Forest Research Technical Guide: Forest Fencing

Please make sure you abide by conditions set out in the Forestry Grant Scheme claim form and guidance.

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