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BN4

Earth bank restoration

Capital Items open_in_new View on RPA Website

£10.54

per metre · one-off

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship Capital Grant provides funding for the restoration of earth banks, rebuilding them to their original height and local style using original soil. The action aims to create valuable wildlife habitats, conserve traditional landscapes, and protect and improve biodiversity.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Restore the bank to reflect local style and profile using original slipped soil
  • Build up moist soil in consolidated layers, allowing settlement for stability
  • Use subsoil and small stones for lower layers and topsoil with no stones for upper layers
  • Build each face with a slight slope (\'batter\'), with the base approximately 0.5m wider than the top
  • Finish ends at gateways with turfing or stone facing and protect from damage
  • Restore any stiles and gates to their original construction
  • Remove surplus earth-fill and stones from the site and restore disturbed ground
  • Do not block or restrict access to open access land
  • Do not carry out work between 1 March and 31 August if the bank is topped by a hedge
  • Do not remove soil from other banks or disturb/damage healthy trees

schedule When to do

  • Do not carry out work between 1 March and 31 August if the bank is topped by a hedge

checklist How to do

  • Rebuild the bank using the original slipped soil
  • Build up moist soil in consolidated layers, allowing settlement for stability
  • Use subsoil and small stones for lower layers and topsoil with no stones for upper layers
  • Build each face with a slight slope (\'batter\'), with the base approximately 0.5m wider than the top
  • Finish ends at gateways with turfing or stone facing and protect from damage
  • Restore any stiles and gates to their original construction
  • Remove surplus earth-fill and stones from the site and restore disturbed ground

description Evidence Required

  • You must keep photographs during and after work has been completed and provide with your claim.

  • You must also keep and provide on request:

  • * any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • * receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • * photographs of each length of earth bank entered into this item

  • Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

  • If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

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info Additional Information

BN4: Earth bank restoration

This item is part of Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£10.54 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary being restored, not for each side of the boundary.

How this item benefits the environment

Restoring an earth bank provides a valuable habitat for wildlife and conserves a traditional landscape.

This item can help you protect, recover and improve biodiversity on your land.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item:

  • where you have management control of each side of the boundary
  • on a length of earth bank that need rebuilding to restore to its original height

You cannot use this item:

What you must do to use this item

You must:

  • restore the bank to reflect the style and profile of other banks in a good condition locally
  • rebuild the bank using the original soil that has slipped from it
  • build up moist soil in consolidated layers, allowing it to settle at each stage to make sure it’s stable
  • use subsoil and small stones for the lower layers and topsoil with no stones for the upper layers
  • build each face of the bank so there’s a slight slope (‘batter’) with a base approximately 0.5m wider than the top
  • take the turf up to the full height of the new bank if local banks are faced with turf
  • finish off the top with loose soil or turf (unless a hedge is being planted)
  • make sure the top line of the bank is parallel to the ground
  • finish the ends of the bank at gateways with turfing or stone facing and protect it from being damaged by livestock and machinery
  • restore any stiles and gates to their original construction
  • remove any surplus earth-fill and stones from the site when you have finished and restore any ground you have disturbed

You must not:

  • block or restrict access to open access land
  • carry out work between 1 March and 31 August if the bank is topped by a hedge
  • remove soil from other banks (even if they’re derelict)
  • disturb healthy trees
  • damage the roots of trees growing on the bank with machinery

Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs during and after work has been completed and provide with your claim.

You must also keep and provide on request:

  • any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • photographs of each length of earth bank entered into this item

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

Items and actions you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

BN5: Hedgerow laying

BN6: Hedgerow coppicing

BN7: Hedgerow gapping-up

BN11: Planting new hedges

TE1: Planting standard hedgerow tree

Sustainable Farming Incentive actions

You can use this item with these actions:

CHRW1: Assess and record hedgerow condition

CHRW2: Manage hedgerows

CHRW3: Maintain or establish hedgerow trees

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions

You can use this item with CHRW4: Manage hedgerows.

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

When you have completed the restoration, you may be able to apply to SFI action BND2: Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks to maintain it. [CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier [m]: metres *[SFI]: Sustainable Farming Incentive

Questions about BN4?

Ask Tom anything about this subsidy, eligibility, evidence requirements, or compatibility with other actions.