BN13: Top wiring - stone wall
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-03)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the top wiring - stone wall item.

This item is part of Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-2025) to understand the rules and how to apply. If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£5.54 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary under the item, not for each side of the boundary.

How this item benefits the environment

Restoring the stone wall with top wiring helps to control livestock and conserve a traditional landscape.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item where you have management control of both sides of the boundary either:
- on walls being rebuilt with BN12: Stone wall restoration (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/stone-wall-restoration-bn12) or BN16: Repair stone walls (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/bn16-repair-stone-walls) to keep stock out of new woodland planting or other land management actions or options
- to keep stock out of new woodland planting or other land management actions or options
What you must do to use this item

You must:
- use round timber posts with a top diameter of at least 75 millimetres (mm)
- set the posts no more than 3m apart for mild steel wire or 10m apart for high-tensile wire
- use posts long enough to fix the top wire no higher than 30 centimetres (cm) above the top of the wall
- use timber that is fully peeled and tanalised or treated with an appropriate preservative
- knock the posts into the ground and either set them leaning against the wall or set them alternately on opposite sides of the wall
- secure the posts
- staple either half height sheep netting or 2 lines of steel wire (plain or barbed) that are at least 20cm apart to the upright posts
- make sure the wire is properly strained and fastened with galvanised staples
For wiring use either:
- mild steel with a minimum diameter of 4mm
- high tensile steel line wire with a minimum diameter of 3.15mm
- 2.5mm mild steel two ply barbed wire
- 2mm high tensile two-ply barbed wire.
Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide 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 of the lengths of wall you plan to top-wire before work starts
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 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-higher-tier-capital-grants-and-protection-and-infrastructure-grants-2025) for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht).

Other capital items and supplements you can use with this item

You can use this item with these supplements:

BN14: Stone wall supplement - stone from quarry (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/stone-wall-supplement-stone-from-quarry-bn14)

BN15: Stone wall supplement - difficult sites (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/stone-wall-supplement-difficult-sites-bn15)

FG15:Water gates (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/water-gates-fg15)