BN3: Earth bank creation

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the earth bank creation item.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
3 February 2025 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Biodiversity, Boundaries and Uplands
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier and Mid Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
Up to £100

BN3 Earth bank creation

This item is part of Capital Grants. You must read the Capital items: guidance for applicants and agreement holders to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid 

£20.59 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary under creation, not for each side of the boundary.

How this item benefits the environment

Creating an earth bank where one previously existed 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 both sides of the boundary
  • on sites where historic maps or records show evidence of former earth banks existing as a feature

What you must do to use this item

You must:

  • create the earth bank to reflect the style and profile of similar earth banks which are in good condition locally
  • build up moist soil in consolidated layers, allowing it to settle at each stage to make sure it is stable
  • build each face of the bank so there’s a slight slope (‘batter’) with a base approximately 0.5m wider at the base than the top
  • take turves up to the full height of the new bank if local banks are faced with turf
  • finish off the top of the bank with loose soil or turf (unless a hedge is being planted)
  • make the top line of the bank parallel to the ground
  • finish the ends of the bank at gateways with turf or stone facing and protect it from being damaged by livestock and machinery
  • 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
  • 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 and provide historic maps or other records with your application – this can be your Farm Environment Record. They must show either the proposed location of the bank creation is:

  • on an original footprint of a pre-existing earth bank
  • a feature of a specific location or landscape

You must keep photographs during and after work has been completed and provide these 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 to show the planned location for each length of earth bank creation

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.

Other capital items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

BN11: Planting new hedges

TE1: Planting standard hedgerow tree

Updates to this page

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

  1. General improvement for clarity.

  2. Updated Where to use this item and how much will be paid.

  3. Updated for 2017 applications.

  4. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  5. First published.

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