RP14: Yard inspection pit

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the yard inspection pit 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, Uplands and Water quality
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier and Standalone capital items
Funding (per unit per year):
£101 to £200

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 

£200 per unit.

How this item benefits the environment

This item improves existing outdoor yards, reducing the risk of runoff and water pollution.

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 with support from Catchment Sensitive Farming:

  • in areas targeted for the reduction of water pollution from agriculture
  • where the existing uncovered yards are made from concrete, hard core, tarmac or bare earth

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

You must get advice from the Environment Agency to check if you need consents or permits before you start work.

You may need approval if the works are both:

  • designed to transfer slurry or silage effluent
  • need to meet water resources    control of water pollution regulations

You cannot use this item on covered or indoor yards.

What you must do to use this item

You must build an inspection pit or a catch pit:

  • with an internal area of at least 0.36 square metres (m2)
  • with a pit opening of at least 600 millimetres (mm) in diameter
  • on a concrete base that is at least 250mm thick, with block walls rendered internally and externally

Construct the pit walls with:

  • solid concrete blocks at least 200mm thick
  • engineering brickwork at least 200mm thick
  • proprietary precast reinforced concrete
  • proprietary plastic or uPVC liner with a concrete surround at least 150mm thick

You must also:

  • install all items according to the manufacturer’s instructions to support the weight of traffic going over it
  • design the cover and frame to carry a load appropriate to its situation – for example, this must be at least 10 kilo newtons per m2 in high traffic areas
  • embed the cover and frame securely so it’s level with (or is below) the surrounding surface
  • build at least 10 metres (m) away from a slurry or silage store if this item has an open grating

For inspection pits:

  • the inspection pit channel must be benched half round  , equal in diameter to the largest inlet pipe and extending the full length of the pit
  • the side connections   must discharge in the direction of flow of the main channel

For catch pits:

  • install a pluggable catch pit and sump (at least 450mm deep with a submersible pump) at the point where clean drainage water leaves the yard
  • monitor the drainage water for contaminants

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 site during the different stages of construction or contracts, invoices or other documents confirming the technical specification for the completed works
  • photographs of the completed works
  • 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 site 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.

Other items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

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.   

More detailed information about using this item is available through Catchment Sensitive Farming. You may also be able to request an infrastructure audit, slurry and manure handling plan, or pesticide handling or washdown facilities design plan.

British Standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards.

Separating water and slurry

Read about separating water and slurry at the Rivers Trust.

Updates to this page

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

  1. General improvement for clarity.

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

  3. Updated for 2017 applications.

  4. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  5. First published.

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