Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this item is to protect water quality by converting existing livestock tracks used by dairy cattle to permanent hardcore tracks in order to reduce poaching, and, by creating alternative routes within a field, to minimise the movements of dairy cattle along public roads.

This applies to existing dairy livestock tracks that are currently on grassed or bare soil at risk of poaching and where run-off from the area can pose a pollution risk to surface water.

It can also be used to create new routes within a field to minimise the movements of dairy cattle along public roads.

You can check if this item is available on your holding here.

You must prepare a plan identifying the location of the proposed tracks which are to be entered under this item.

You must produce a diffuse pollution steading assessment.

Run-off from the livestock track must not directly enter a watercourse.

You can claim £11 per square metre.

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of any livestock track
• that run-off from the livestock track does not directly enter a watercourse

Supporting guidance is available for this item.

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