FG2: Sheep netting

How much will be paid

£4.90 per metre (m).

Where to use this item

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Woodland Creation grants if one of the following apply:

• in conjunction with a habitat management or creation option where new fencing is required to meet the option grazing requirements
• to prevent water pollution caused by farming (approval from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer is not required nor does the parcel need to be in a High Priority area for water quality)
• to protect environmental features (for example newly planted trees, buffer strips and field corners taken out of management) or as agreed with the Forestry Commission Woodland Officer.

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants:

• to prevent water pollution caused by farming (approval from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer is not required nor does the parcel need to be in a High Priority area for water quality)

You can also use with TE5 for Woodland Creation grants where appropriate and agreed with a Forestry Commission Woodland Officer.

It is also available for Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot) to help you undertake the actions in the following SFI pilot standards:

• Hedgerows standard
• Water body buffering standard
• Improved grassland standard
• Low/no input grassland
• Farm woodland standard, but only if you also apply for TE4 (Supply and plant a tree) and located the sheep netting on arable land or improved grassland used for the optional ‘Expand your woodland’ action.

In the above instances you do not have to locate the sheep netting to prevent water pollution caused by farming.

Where this item cannot be used

• On historic or archaeological features as identified in the Historic Environment Farm Environment Records (HEFER)
• On a site where a fence has previously received a grant

How this item will benefit the environment

This item protects environmental features from livestock and helps manage habitats.

Requirements

These requirements apply to agreements with a start date from 2023. For any existing live agreements, you must adhere to the specification as outlined in your agreement.

You must:

• remove all old fencing material before putting up the new fencing
• use softwood timber that is fully peeled, coated with wood preservative and pressure treated, or treated with an HSE approved industrial wood preservative, to comply with Use Class 4 as defined in BS8417:2014 ‘Preservation of Wood - Code of Practice’. Untreated durable timber can be used as set out in the Forestry Commission guide to forest fencing. As an alternative to wooden fence posts, you can use metal fence posts. For Higher Tier you should agree this with your Natural England Adviser or Forestry Commission Woodland Officer
• put up a steel wire mesh fence at least 1.05m high
• use additional strands of galvanised steel wire (plain or barbed) if you need extra height
• use straining posts that have a top diameter of at least 125 millimetre (mm), or are 100 by 100mm in cross-section when sawn
• make sure the straining posts are 1.85m long if set in concrete and 2.15m long if not, or are at least 2.4m long for metal fence posts
• place the straining posts no more than 150m apart if using mild steel line wire, 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 75mm by 75mm when sawn
• make sure the struts are 1.6m if set in concrete and 1.9m long if not, or are at least 2.4m long for metal fencing
• 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 75mm by 75mm when sawn
• make sure the intermediate posts are 1.7m long (or at least 1.8m long for metal fencing) and space them no further than 3.5m apart if using hinge-jointed wire mesh. If using stiffstay wire mesh, spacing can be up to 4.5m
• make sure that all the materials you use meet the relevant British Standards - see copies of the most up-to-date standards for guidance

Do not:

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

Keeping records

You must keep the following records and supply them with your payment claim:

• photographs of the completed work

You must keep the following records and supply them on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• photographs of the site before work starts

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier, Capital Grants or Woodland Creation manual for more detail.

Related Mid Tier and Capital Grants item

You can use this item on the same feature as the following supplement:

• FG4 - Rabbit fencing supplement

Further information

Read more information about Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier, Capital Grants or Woodland Creation including how to apply.