Livestock Tracks

Date published: 15 December, 2025

For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.

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 using the targeting tool which can be found in the Management Options and Capital Items page.

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.

Cow tracks are considered a private way, which means they fall under Permitted Development Rights as listed in Class 18 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development)(Scotland) Order 1992 (as amended) legislation.

You must notify your local planning authority with a written description of the planned construction, including a plan to show the route(s) of the tracks and details of the materials to be used. The Planning Authority should respond within 28 days to inform whether the construction can proceed, or if more information, or indeed planning permission is required. You must provide a copy of any correspondence with the planning authority as part of your AECS submission. No work can be started without prior approval from the planning authority.

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

Section Change
Spatial targeting Removed links to archived pages of where to find the targeting tool and simplified stating the targeting tool can be found on the Management Options and Capital Items page
Application Requirements Text added, Cow tracks are considered a private way, which means they fall under Permitted Development Rights as listed in Class 18 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 (as amended) legislation. You must notify your local planning authority with a written description of the planned construction, including a plan to show the route(s) of the tracks and details of the materials to be used. The Planning Authority should respond within 28 days to inform whether the construction can proceed, or if more information, or indeed planning permission is required. You must provide a copy of any correspondence with the planning authority as part of your AECS submission. No work can be started without prior approval from the planning authority

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Management options and capital items

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