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CPAC4

Footpath access

CS Higher Tier open_in_new View on RPA Website

£77.00

per 100 metres · yearly

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier action provides and maintains new permissive footpaths for public access, free of charge, to enhance public health and wellbeing. It requires creating safe, wide paths with signage, managing animals, and regularly inspecting routes for safety.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Provide and maintain footpaths that are wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side on a safe and even surface.
  • Install signs and maps at entrance points and waymarks along routes.
  • Keep risky animals away from access routes and regularly inspect routes (woodland for tree safety, non-woodland for other safety issues).
  • Maintain sward height for easy walking and link footpaths with other public access.
  • Do not close access routes for more than 10 days a year or on public holidays, and do not interfere with or block existing access.

schedule When to do

  • Perform this action each year of the agreement duration.
  • Complete all preparatory work and gain necessary permissions at the start of your agreement.
  • Install any required infrastructure within the first year of your agreement.

checklist How to do and evidence required

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:

  • field operations at a parcel level
  • associated invoices
  • photographs relevant to the action

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

  • When choosing new footpath locations, ensure they link with existing public access, are close to users, and avoid impacting neighbours' privacy. Consider using farm/woodland tracks and routes around field perimeters or linking existing public rights of way.
  • Establish footpaths with a safe, even surface, wide enough for two people, and install maps/signs at entrances and waymarkers along routes.
  • Manage footpaths by walking routes regularly (monthly for woodland) to keep them safe, replacing lost signs, and cutting back vegetation. Access routes can be closed for up to 10 days a year for essential maintenance, but not on public holidays.

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

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info Additional Information

CPAC4: Footpath access

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance before you apply.

Duration

5 years

How much you’ll be paid

£77 per 100 metres (m) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to provide and maintain new permissive footpaths to the public. You’ll provide this access free of charge to the public.

The purpose is to deliver benefits for public health and wellbeing.

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on most permanent land types. You’ll need to agree what land can be included with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

You cannot do this action on land that has existing and equivalent access rights.

Eligible land

All land use codes are eligible for this action.

Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:

  • provide and maintain footpaths which are wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side on a safe and even surface
  • create and install signs and maps at entrance points, and waymarks along routes
  • keep animals known to pose a risk to the public away from permissive access routes
  • carry out the necessary number of site inspections to make sure woodland access complies with tree safety – read the Countryside Code advice for land managers on creating a safe environment
  • inspect other non-woodland access routes regularly to ensure there are no safety issues and take remedial action where necessary
  • maintain sward height to allow easy walking
  • link footpaths with other public access, such as Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) open access land, or public rights of way

You must not:

  • close access routes for more than 10 days a year
  • close access routes on a public holiday
  • let any activities on land within your control interfere with permissive access
  • block existing access routes across the holding

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

You should complete all preparatory work and gain the necessary permissions at the start of your agreement unless stated otherwise. You should install any infrastructure within the first year of your agreement.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:

  • field operations at a parcel level
  • associated invoices
  • photographs relevant to the action

Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you may need:

You may also need to get:

  • advice from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
  • a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat

All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

Choosing where to put new footpaths on your land

When choosing where you’ll provide and maintain new permissive footpaths to the public, make sure these areas:

  • link with and complement existing public access
  • are close to likely users but avoid areas where new public access might impact on neighbours’ privacy

You can use farm and woodland tracks.

Think about:

  • routes around the perimeters of fields and any links to open access areas
  • woodland routes that make an important link between existing public rights of way, other routes or areas with public access, demonstrating value for money
  • the interactions between users and the environment when planning access – it’s important for users to be able to enjoy the countryside and benefit from being close to nature
  • the location of any potentially aggressive animals (such as bulls) – read guidance on cattle and public access

Ideally, install any infrastructure within the first year of your agreement. You can discuss this with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

You may wish to check your existing insurance cover and discuss your permissive access plans with them.

Check MAGIC for existing countryside and rights of way open access rights on your land. Your local authority will publish information about public rights of way.

Establishing new footpaths

Provide and maintain footpaths with a safe and even surface. Make sure they are wide enough to allow 2 people to walk comfortably side by side with occasional passing spaces.

Create and install maps and signs at entrance points. Use signs and waymarkers to show routes the public can follow.

Read guidance on how to make your footpaths as accessible to as many people as possible.

Managing footpaths

When you need to carry out essential maintenance or other operations, you can close access routes for up to 10 days a year but not on a public holiday.

Walk your permissive access routes regularly (monthly for woodland routes), so you can keep them in a safe and usable condition.

Check and replace any lost or damaged signs and cut back vegetation, so the public can access it safely. [CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier  [CROW]: Countryside and Rights of Way  [RPA]: Rural Payments Agency  [SSSI]: Site of Special Scientific Interest  [HEFER]: Historic Environment Farm Environment Record  [MAGIC]: Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside 

Questions about CPAC4?

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