WN10: Construction of water penning structures

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the construction of water penning structures item.

• From: Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
• Published: 2 April 2015
• Last updated: 18 February 2020 — See all updates

• Grant type: Capital item
• Land use: Flood risk, Priority habitats and Uplands
• Tiers or standalone items: Higher Tier
• Funding (per unit per year): More than 50% actual costs

How much will be paid

Up to 100% of actual costs.

Where to use this item

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier on sites where it is not possible to use standard soil bunds or sluices to raise water levels. You must use in combination with one of the following options:

• GS9 - Management of wet grassland for breeding waders
• GS10 - Management of wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
• GS11 - Creation of wet grassland for breeding waders
• GS12 - Creation of wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
• LH1 - Management of lowland heathland
• LH2 - Restoration of forestry and woodland to lowland heathland
• LH3 - Creation of heathland from arable or improved grassland
• WD7 - Management of successional areas and scrub
• WD8 - Creation of successional areas and scrub
• WT6 - Management of reedbed
• WT7 - Creation of reedbed
• WT8 - Management of fen
• WT9 - Creation of fen
• WT10 - Management of lowland raised bog

How this item will benefit the environment

It will provide bespoke water penning or control structures to support raised water levels for restoring or creating habitats.

Requirements

You must:

• agree a specification for the works with Natural England
• provide a minimum of 3 written quotations for the completion of the works, identifying associated costs
• complete the works as set out in the approved specification and within the agreed time period

Keeping records

Before you apply for this item you should contact the Environment Agency to get any advice or consents needed. You must also get any other relevant consents, for example from the Internal Drainage Board. You do not need to provide this with your application, but you will need to send it with your payment claim.

You must send the following with your application:

• quotes for the completion of the work

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

• receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not available
• photographs of the site during the different stages of construction or contracts, invoices or other documents confirming the technical specification for the completed works
• any consents or permissions connected with the work

The detailed requirements for this item will be tailored to the Higher Tier site. You should discuss and agree these requirements with your adviser.

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the Higher Tier manual for more detail.

Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this item

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

How to apply for consent

You will need fully dimensioned drawings and the specification itself when you apply for consent.

Where to use this item

This item can be used for raising banks, installing gauge boards or tilting weirs.

Further information

Read more information about Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier to find out more about the scheme and how to apply.

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 18 February 2020 + show all updates

1. 18 February 2020

   Page refreshed and updated.

2. 8 March 2017

   Updated for 2017 applications.

3. 29 March 2016

   Information updated for applications in 2016.

4. 2 April 2015

   First published.