RP28: Roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores)
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-03)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores) 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

£72.50 per square metre (m2).

How this item benefits the environment

New roofing helps reduce water pollution by preventing rainfall from getting into:
- sprayer loading and washdown areas
- livestock manure storage areas
- livestock gathering areas
- slurry and on-farm anaerobic digestate stores (including separated fractions)
- silage stores
Where you can use this item

You can only use this item with support from Catchment Sensitive Farming (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catchment-sensitive-farming-reduce-agricultural-water-pollution) where the floor is already impermeable or made impermeable by the time you claim the grant.

Use it to put a roof over:
- livestock manure stores (including solid fraction of separated slurry)
- livestock gathering areas such as loafing, feeding and handling areas
- a sprayer loading and washdown area but only where a bunded concrete pad is used, all pesticide washings drain to a holding tank (sump), and it will not cover a biobed
- on-farm anaerobic digestate stores (including stores for separated fractions) or anaerobic digestate stores used to store the material on farms before spreading
- slurry stores (including stores for separated fractions)
- silage stores
The Environment Agency (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-need-an-environmental-permit) must confirm the slurry and silage stores comply with the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-silage-slurry-and-agricultural-fuel-oil) (SSAFO) regulations before you claim the grant.

You can only use this item where the proposed roofing will reduce the risk of causing pollution by keeping slurry, contaminated water or effluent separate from clean water.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catchment-sensitive-farming-reduce-agricultural-water-pollution) provides advice where there are water quality or flood risk issues linked to farming.

You cannot use this item to cover:
- stores that form part of an anaerobic digestate plant
- organic manures other than livestock manure, slurry or anaerobic digestate (including separated fractions)
- in-field heaps of livestock manure, the solid fraction of separated slurry or digestate or silage
- a livestock housing unit
- a biobed
- concrete funded under RP15: Concrete yard renewal (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/concrete-yard-renewal-rp15) or funded under a previous Countryside Stewardship agreement
You also cannot use this item:
- where the proposal will lead to the expansion or intensification of the enterprise
- to repair or replace existing roofing
Get permission to use this item

You’ll need to get relevant advice, consents or permits from the Environment Agency (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-need-an-environmental-permit) before starting any work.

You must also contact your local planning authority to check if planning permission is needed.

What you must do to use this item

You must:
- build a roof structure impermeable to rainwater
- install guttering and drains to direct roof water to a clean water system. Make sure that drainage works meet any building and local authority requirements
- meet the requirements of the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil (SSAFO) Regulations 2010 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/storing-silage-slurry-and-agricultural-fuel-oil) where relevant
Water from the roofing may drain to a watercourse or soakaway provided it’s uncontaminated. Alternatively, it can be directed to storage tanks for washing down (for example). You must discuss with your adviser if it’ll generate large water flows. If so, you may need an attenuation system to store the excess water before the main system can cope with it.

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 completed work
- any consents or permissions connected with the work, including evidence of SSAFO compliance (where relevant)
- any consents or permissions from the local planning authority
If you do not need consent or permission from your local planning authority, you must provide evidence to show this. This can be a:
- letter from the authority confirming you do not need permission
- note of a telephone conversation with a local authority representative, with the name, date, and time of the call
- link to online guidance or printout of guidance text which shows you do not need permission
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 (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, 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 items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

RP23: Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep) (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/installation-of-livestock-drinking-troughs-in-draining-pens-for-freshly-dipped-sheep-rp23)

RP24: Lined biobed plus pesticide loading and washdown area (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/lined-biobed-plus-pesticide-loading-and-washdown-area-rp24)

RP26: Biofilters (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/biofilters-rp26)

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.

British standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards (https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/products-and-services/standards/).

Separating water

Keep slurry, contaminated water or other effluents separate from clean water. To do this, you may need to reassess the yard drainage which may include adding:
- cross drains
- catch pits
- gulleys
- kerbs
- sleeping policemen
What you can use this item for

You can use this item to address a potential pollution risk. You can also use it to put a roof over self-feeding silage stores.

You can use it over pesticide sprayer or applicator loading and washdown areas if:
- the roof covers the bunded wash-down area and the drain to the holding tank
- there’s a minimum 1m overhang on each side unless there’s a sidewall
- the bunded area is a minimum of the sprayer transport width (with the booms folded) plus 2m, and the sprayer length plus 1.5m
- the foundations and structural supports are secure and do not breach the bund, so no pesticide washings can escape
You can only build side walls and shades with the roof:
- at your own expense
- if it does not breach any consents or permits
Read the Code of Good Agricultural Practice (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cbb27ed915d6822362336/pb13558-cogap-131223.pdf) about protecting soil, water and air from pollution.

Measuring up for a biobed

Read more information about pesticide handling areas and biobeds including sizing and volume calculations (https://voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/water/biobeds/).