FG2: Sheep netting - GOV.UK

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the sheep netting item.

Contents

1. How much you'll be paid
2. How this item benefits the environment
3. Where you can use this item
4. What you must do to use this item
5. Evidence you must keep
6. Items and supplements you can use with this item
7. Capital items
8. Supplements
9. Advice to help you use this item
10. British Standards

How much you’ll be paid

£7.47 per metre (m).

How this item benefits the environment

Controlling livestock protects environmental features and helps to manage habitats.

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

Where you can use this item

You can use this item either:

• alongside a habitat management, restoration or creation action or option where you need new fencing to meet the grazing requirements
• to prevent water pollution caused by farming – you do not need approval from Catchment Sensitive Farming, nor does the parcel need to be in a high priority area for water quality
• to protect environmental features such as newly planted trees, buffer strips and field corners taken out of management (or as agreed with your Forestry Commission adviser)
• as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant

You cannot use this item:

• on a site where a fence has received a grant in the last 7 years
• to protect established woodland from livestock unless agreed with your Forestry Commission adviser

Your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) will identify:

• scheduled monuments
• registered parks and gardens
• registered battlefields
• Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) sites

You must not use this item on scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens or registered battlefields without written approval from Historic England.

You must not use this item on SHINE sites without written approval from your local authority historic environment adviser.

What you must do to use this item

When using wooden posts, you must:

• remove all old fencing material before putting up the new fencing
• use softwood timber that’s fully peeled, coated with wood preservative and pressure treated or treated with an HSE approved industrial wood preservative, so you comply with Use Class 4 that’s defined in BS8417:2014 ‘Preservation of Wood Code of Practice’ – you can use untreated durable timber as set out in the Forestry Commission guide to forest fencing
• use additional strands of galvanised steel wire (plain or barbed) if you need extra height. Use strands of galvanised 4mm mild plain steel wire or 2.5mm barbed wire or high tensile wire
• use straining posts are at least 2.1m long, at least 100mm by 100mm square when sawn or have at least a 125mm top diameter
• set the straining posts no more than 150m apart if you use mild steel wire (or 600m apart for high tensile wire)
• use a straining post at every change of direction (horizontal or vertical) and at each end of the fence – you can use suitable bracing to achieve stability
• use struts that are at least 75mm by 75mm square or have at least a 75mm top diameter and are at least 2.1m long – you can use a box strainer with or instead of a strut
• mortice (cut) struts into the straining post at an angle of no more than 45 degrees – do not secure by a nail alone
• set the intermediate posts 3m or less apart for mild steel and at least 4.5m for high tensile steel – adjust these measurements according to the ground conditions
• use intermediate posts that are at least 75mm by 75mm square or have at least a 65mm top diameter and are at least 1.65m long

When using metal posts, you must:

• agree using metal posts with your Natural England or Forestry Commission adviser if installing on land in a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement
• remove all old fencing material before putting up new fencing
• erect the steel wire mesh fence to at least 1.05m high when installed
• use additional strands of galvanised steel wire (plain or barbed) if you need extra height.
• use strands of galvanised 4mm mild plain steel wire, 2.5mm barbed wire or high tensile wire
• use straining posts which are at least 2.4m in length
• place a straining post at every change of direction (horizontal or vertical) and at each end of the fence – you can use suitable bracing to achieve stability
• use intermediate posts at least 1.65m long
• struts should be at least 1.8m long and attached to posts using a suitable connector

You can install the metal posts according to the manufacturer’s installation recommendations. You can use any type of metal post, but they must be suitable for the site and be durable for 5 years from the start of your agreement.

You must not:

• attach the fence to trees or hedgerows
• block or restrict access to open access land
• hard staple the wire to intermediate posts – the wire should be a running fit so it can move, contract and expand in different temperatures

Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs of the completed work 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 the site before work starts

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.

Items and supplements you can use with this item

Capital items

You can use this item with these items:

FG15:Water gates

FY6: Restore coppicing in woodland

Supplements

You can use this item with FG4: Rabbit fencing supplement.

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.

British Standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards.

Published 2 April 2015 Last updated 3 February 2025 + show all updates

1. 3 February 2025

General improvement for clarity.

1. 12 August 2024

One sentence has been altered in the 'where this item cannot be used' section and multiple bullet points have been removed and replaced all throughout the 'requirements' section.

1. 8 May 2024

Update to requirements section.

1. 6 November 2023

Removal of text confirming FG2 Sheep netting availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.

1. 19 December 2022

The Requirements section of this page has been updated

1. 23 February 2022

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.

1. 1 February 2022

'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot. 'Requirements' section updated.

1. 6 April 2021

Updated Where to use this item

1. 30 March 2021

'Air quality' added to Land use.

1. 31 January 2021

Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants

1. 14 July 2020

Page updated to show latest record keeping

1. 14 September 2017

Capital item now includes woodland.

1. 7 March 2017

Updated for 2017 applications.

1. 29 March 2016

Information updated for applications in 2016.

1. 2 April 2015

First published.