RP22: Sheep dip drainage aprons and sumps

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

£19.50 per square metre (m2).

How this item benefits the environment

Installing new drainage aprons and sumps for sheep dips, or replacing existing ones in a new location, can help reduce the risk of water pollution Pollution from sheep dips can cause damage to people and aquatic wildlife.

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

Where you can use this item

You can only use this item in areas targeted for the reduction of water pollution from agriculture, with support from Catchment Sensitive Farming.

Catchment Sensitive Farming provides advice where there are water quality or flood risk issues linked to farming.

You can also use this item with RP20: Relocation of sheep dips and pens and RP21:Relocation of sheep pens only when moving a static holding pen used with a mobile sheep dip.

You cannot use this item to:

• build new, permanent sheep dip facilities on a farm where there are no existing dipping facilities
• replace existing equipment in the same location

Get permission to use this item

You should consult Natural England if you plan to install items on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

You’ll need to get relevant advice, consents or permits from the Environment Agency before starting any work.

You must also contact your local planning authority to check if planning permission is needed.

What you must do to use this item

You must:

• design the drainage aprons to redirect drainage water from the pen area back to the dip bath
• ensure the apron is made of impermeable concrete
• design the residue sump to catch debris (such as wool and faeces) and prevent it from re-entering the dipping tank
• construct the sump of engineering brick walls set on a concrete base
• install a drainage apron and sump which complies with the Groundwater Protection Code

Evidence you must keep

You must keep written support from your Catchment Sensitive Farming adviser and provide this with your application.

You must also keep and provide with your claim:

• photographs of the completed work
• any consents or permissions connected with the work

You must also keep and provide on request:

• receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• photographs of the existing site and current dipping facilities before works start

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, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

Other capital items you can use with this item

You can use this item with RP23: Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep).

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.

How to get a permit to discharge sheep dip

You’ll need an environmental permit to discharge sheep dip to land. If you already have an environmental permit, you’ll need to vary it if the location of the discharge area changes.

Where to install drain pens

Locate new drainage pens, drainage aprons and sumps:

• 10m from watercourses (including streams, ditches, land drains and wetlands)
• 30m from watercourses that drain into protected conservation sites (such as SSSIs)
• 50m from any spring, well or borehole

If there’s a risk of spillage draining to a watercourse, road or track, do not install the pens or dip baths:

• on a slope
• at the top of a slope
• on land which is under drained

Protecting the historic environment

You should avoid using this item

• close to a historic farmstead or listed building – you can get advice on listed building consent from your local authority
• on sites of archaeological or historic importance as identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) – you can get advice on scheduled monument consent from Historic England before using this item on such sites

You should also consider the character of the landscape when constructing new fencing lines. This particularly applies in designated landscapes or historic parkland.