The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) Regulations 2005 (revoked)

Regulation 4

SCHEDULE Standards of good agricultural and environmental condition

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. applied (12.2.2007) by The Rural Development (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/75), regs. 1, 5(1)

Soil Protection Review

[F1 1.— (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2)—

(a) a farmer who was required to complete a soil protection review on or before 1^st September 2006 must keep that review available for inspection;

(b) a farmer who did not make a claim under any relevant scheme before 2007 and who makes a claim for the first time under any relevant scheme in 2007 or a subsequent year must complete a soil protection review for all the land in his holding on or before 1^st September of the calendar year in which he makes the claim, and he must keep that review available for inspection.

(2) A farmer is not required to—

(a) include within the soil protection review any part of his holding which is common land; or

(b) prepare or retain a soil protection review where his holding, excluding that part of his holding which is common land, is 0.3 hectares or less.

(3) Where a farmer acquires land that makes his holding, excluding common land, greater than 0.3 hectares, he must—

(a) where he acquires such land before 1^st September of any calendar year, complete on or before 1^st September of that year, or, if that is not practicable, as soon as is practicable thereafter in that year, a soil protection review for all the land in his holding, excluding that part of his holding which is common land; or

(b) where he acquires such land on or after 1^st September, complete a soil protection review on or before 1^st September of the following calendar year,

and he must keep that review available for inspection.

(4) A farmer must update his soil protection review—

(a) at least once in each calendar year, beginning in the year following that in which he is required to complete his soil protection review;

(b) if additional land is added to the holding, as soon as is practicable after the date of the transfer;

(c) if he changes management systems or cropping practices, as soon as is practicable after making those changes; and

(d) if it becomes clear to him that the measures previously identified have been unsuccessful, as soon as is practicable after that date,

and he must keep the updated review available for inspection.

(5) A farmer must take all reasonable steps to implement the measures identified in his soil protection review—

(a) where he was required to complete it on or before 1^st September 2006, as soon as is practicable on or after 1^st January 2007;

(b) where he is required to complete it in 2007 or in a subsequent year, as soon as is practicable on or after 1^st January of the calendar year after that in which he is required to complete it.

(6) A farmer must complete and update his soil protection review in accordance with—

(a) guidance published by the Secretary of State about soil management, and

(b) guidance for the preparation of a soil protection review (which includes a template for such a review).

(7) The Secretary of State may give a farmer specific guidance concerning the management of his land to ensure soils are well managed in accordance with the guidance referred to in sub-paragraph (6).

(8) Where the Secretary of State gives a farmer guidance of the kind referred to in sub-paragraph (7), the farmer must have regard to that guidance in completing, updating and implementing his soil protection review (as the case may be).

(9) Where the Secretary of State considers that a farmer’s soils are poorly managed, he may give the farmer written directions to ensure his soils are well managed in accordance with the guidance referred to in sub-paragraph (6), and the farmer must comply with those directions.

(10) In this paragraph—

(a) “common land” means land subject to rights of common which—

(i) has been entered in the register of common land or town and village greens, under the Commons Registration Act 1965 ; or

(ii) is land within one of the areas referred to in section 11(1) of that Act;

where the rights are exercised by someone other than the farmer who owns or occupies the land;

(b) “soil protection review” means a plan about the management of land which sets out problems identified in relation to the holding as to soil structure, soil organic matter and soil erosion and measures to address those problems;

(c) “a relevant scheme” means the Single Payment Scheme, any other scheme in Annex 1 of the Council Regulation, or any measure listed in Article 36 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 to which cross-compliance applies.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. para. 1 substituted (1.1.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/3254), regs. 1, 6

Post-harvest management of land after combinable crops

2.—(1) If land has carried a crop of oil-seeds, grain legumes or cereals (other than maize) which has been harvested using a combine harvester or a mower, a farmer must ensure that, throughout the period in sub-paragraph (2), at least one of the following conditions is met on that land—

(a) the stubble of the harvested crop remains in the land;

(b) the land is left with a rough surface following ploughing, discing, tine cultivation or any other suitable agricultural method;

[F2 (c) the land is prepared as a seedbed for a crop, and

(i) the crop is sown within a period of 10 days beginning with the day after final seedbed preparation, or

(ii) if sowing within that 10-day period would mean breaching the requirement in paragraph 3(1), the crop is sown as soon as is practicable after it ceases to be waterlogged, or

(iii) if there are severe weather conditions making it impracticable to sow within that 10- day period, the crop is sown as soon as is practicable after the severe weather conditions cease;]

(d) the land is under cultivation sequences used for the purpose of creating a stale seedbed; or

(e) the land is sown with a temporary cover crop, so long as, if the cover crop becomes grazed out or cultivated out, the condition in paragraph (b) is then met as soon as is practicable without breaching the requirements in paragraph 3, and for the remainder of the period.

(2) The period begins with the first day after harvest and ends with the last day of February in the following year.

(3) In this paragraph, “stale seedbed” means an area of land which is subject to shallow cultivation to stimulate weed germination as part of a strategy of weed control.

Textual Amendments

F2 Sch. para. 2(1)(c) substituted (1.1.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/3254), regs. 1, 7

Waterlogged soil

3.—(1) A farmer must not carry out a mechanical field operation or use, or allow the use of, a motorised vehicle on waterlogged soil unless—

(a) the soil is within 20 metres of the access point to an area of soil which is not waterlogged;

(b) the soil forms part of a track to an area of soil which is not waterlogged; or

(c) the mechanical field operation or the use of a motorised vehicle is necessary—

(i) to improve the drainage of the soil;

(ii) to incorporate gypsum into the soil following an intrusion of saltwater;

(iii) for reasons of animal welfare or human safety; or

(iv) in order to harvest a crop of fruit or vegetables (excluding all varieties of potato, sugar beet, mangel, swede, turnip and fodder beet) —

(aa) in order to meet contractual obligations; or

(bb) where the quality of the crop would deteriorate if it were not harvested.

[F3 (2) The Secretary of State may, in writing, exempt a farmer from any of the requirements in sub-paragraph (1) if he considers it necessary because an area is affected by exceptional weather conditions.

(2A) The exemption may—

(a) apply in relation to a case or classes of case;

(b) apply in relation to such area of England as the Secretary of State considers necessary; and

(c) be subject to conditions.

(2B) The Secretary of State may only give an exemption if he has first considered—

(a) the economic impact of the weather conditions;

(b) the environmental effects of the exemption; and

(c) in light of these considerations, for what period the exemption should reasonably apply.]

[F4 (3) The Secretary of State must, in an exemption under this paragraph—

(a) explain why he has given it;

(b) set out the case or classes of case in relation to which it applies;

(c) specify the area in relation to which it applies;

(d) set out its scope and any conditions to which it is subject; and

(e) state its duration.

(3A) The Secretary of State must publicize an exemption given under this paragraph and may do so in such manner as he thinks fit.]

(4) In this paragraph, “mechanical field operation” includes any harvesting, cultivation or spreading operation (including the spreading of manure or slurry) by mechanical means.

Textual Amendments

F3 Sch. para. 3(2)-(2B) substituted for Sch. para. 3(2) (10.9.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2500), regs. 1, 2(2)

F4 Sch. para. 3(3)(3A) substituted for Sch. para. 3(3) (10.9.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2500), regs. 1, 2(3)

Burning of crop residues

4.  A farmer must not, on agricultural land, burn any crop residue of a kind specified in Schedule 1 to the Crop Residues (Burning) Regulations 1993 M1 unless the burning is for the purpose of—

(a) education or research;

(b) disease control or the elimination of plant pests where a notice has been served under article 32 of the Plant Health (England) Order 2005 M2 ; or

(c) the disposal of straw stack remains or broken bales.

Marginal Citations

M1 S.I. 1993/1366.

M2 S.I. 2005/2530.

5.  A farmer must not, on agricultural land, burn—

(a) any crop residue of a kind specified in Schedule 1 to the Crop Residues (Burning) Regulations 1993 to which an exemption specified in paragraph 4(a) or (b) applies; or

(b) any linseed residues;

otherwise than in accordance with the restrictions and requirements set out in Schedule 2 to those Regulations.

Overgrazing and unsuitable supplementary feeding

6.— [F5 (1) The Secretary of State may give a farmer written directions concerning the management of land which is, in his opinion, subject to—

(a) overgrazing, or

(b) unsuitable supplementary feeding methods,

and the farmer must comply with those directions.]

(2) A farmer must not—

(a) allow overgrazing; or

(b) use unsuitable supplementary feeding methods.

(3) The Secretary of State may notify a farmer of measures she considers to be appropriate to prevent overgrazing and unsuitable supplementary feeding [F6 , and the farmer must have regard to such a notification].

(4) In this paragraph—

“overgrazing” means grazing with so many livestock as to affect adversely the growth, quality or diversity of any self-seeded or self-propagated vegetation characteristic of the area in which the land is situated; and

“unsuitable supplementary feeding methods” means methods that provide supplementary feed for livestock that affect adversely, through trampling or poaching of land by livestock, or through rutting by vehicles used to transport feed, the quality or diversity of any self-seeded or self-propagated vegetation characteristic of the area in which the land is situated.

Textual Amendments

F5 Sch. para. 6(1) substituted (1.1.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/3254), regs. 1, 8(a)

F6 Words in Sch. para. 6(3) added (1.1.2007) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/3254), regs. 1, 8(b)

Management of land which is not in agricultural production

7.—(1) Except on land which is set aside pursuant to Article 54 of the Council Regulation, a farmer on any [F7 agricultural land] which is not used for agricultural production—

(a) must cut down any scrub and cut down or graze any rank vegetation at least once every 5 years; but—

(i) he must cut down no more than 50% of the area of that vegetation in the fourth year and no more than 50% of that area in the fifth year, in each five-year period that the land is not in agricultural production; and

(ii) he must not cut down any vegetation in the period within any year beginning on 1st March and ending on 31st July, unless cutting down is necessary in order for the farmer to comply with paragraph 8;

[F8 (b) must—

(i) establish a green cover through seeding or natural regeneration as soon as practicable on or after 1st March following the date the land ceased to be in agricultural production, unless he can prove that he intends to bring the land back into agricultural production before the following 15th May; and

(ii) maintain that green cover until the land is brought back into agricultural production;]

(c) must not use the land for non-farm vehicular use;

(d) must not apply any inorganic fertiliser to the land;

(e) must not apply manure or slurry to the land; and

(f) must not store manure or slurry on a field, other than manure where—

(i) it is to be used on that field in the next growing season; or

(ii) it is to be used on an adjacent field where storage on that adjacent field carries a substantial risk of pollution of watercourses as a result of such storage;

and the risk of pollution of watercourses through storage on the field on which the manure is stored is low.

(2) However—

(a) the requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) does not apply where it would conflict with the farmer's obligations under paragraph 8 or 9;

(b) the requirements in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) and (1)(b) do not apply to land out of production for the first fifteen months from the date of harvest, where—

(i) cutting or ploughing is necessary to control infestation by blackgrass (Alopercurus myosuroides), couch, (Agyropyron repens), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) or dock (Rumex species);

(ii) the farmer records this land as not being in agricultural production in the soil protection review referred to in paragraph 1 of this Schedule and takes soil protection measures which are appropriate considering the soil management guidance published under paragraph 1(2) of this Schedule; and

(iii) the farmer establishes a green cover (either through seeding or natural regeneration) on that land within fifteen months of the date of harvest;

(c) no requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (b) applies where it would conflict with the farmer's obligations under paragraph 25;

[F9 (cc) Sub-paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to any area of the land on which soil dredged from a watercourse or field ditch on the land has been spread unless that area is subject to the requirements of paragraph 10(1);]

(d) no requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(d) or (e) applies where the land is situated in an area known to be used as a feeding area by geese in winter and is managed as such an area;

(e) the requirement in sub-paragraph (1)(e) does not apply where manure or slurry is applied as part of seedbed preparation during a period beginning two months before the day the crop is sown;

(f) no requirement of sub-paragraph (1) applies where it would conflict with the farmer's obligations under paragraphs 18 to 23; and

(g) no requirement of sub-paragraph (1) applies to the extent that the Secretary of State has, in order to enhance the environment or for reasons relating to crop or livestock production, given the farmer written permission to manage the land in a different way.

[F10 (3) For the purposes of this regulation, land ceases to be used for agricultural production from the day after the day—

(a) harvest on the land was completed;

(b) the land otherwise ceased to be used for agricultural production; or

(c) the land ceased to be set aside pursuant to Article 54 of the Council Regulation.]

Textual Amendments

F7 Words in Sch. para. 7(1) substituted (8.2.2008) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/80), regs. 1, 2(2)

F8 Sch. para. 7(1)(b) substituted (8.2.2008) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/80), regs. 1, 2(3)

F9 Sch. para. 7(2)(cc) inserted (8.2.2008) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/80), regs. 1, 2(4)

F10 Sch. para. 7(3) substituted (8.2.2008) by The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/80), regs. 1, 2(5)

Control of weeds

8.—(1) If a notice has been served on him under section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 M3 , a farmer must not unreasonably fail to comply with the requirements of that notice.

(2) A farmer must take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), creeping or field thistle (Cirsium arvense), broad-leafed dock (Rumex obtusifolius) and curled dock (Rumex crispus) on his land and onto adjacent land.

(3) If, in any appeal against a determination of the Secretary of State that there has been a non-compliance in relation to this paragraph, a code of practice providing guidance on how to prevent the spread of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) made under section 1A(1) of the Weeds Act 1959 appears to be relevant to any question arising in the appeal, it must be taken into account in determining that question.

Marginal Citations

M3 1959 c. 54, as amended by the Ragwort Control Act 2003 (2003 c. 40). There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

9.  A farmer must take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum), Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) on his land and onto adjacent land.

Protection of hedgerows and watercourses

10.—(1) A farmer must take all reasonable steps to maintain a green cover on, and he must not cultivate, or apply fertilisers or pesticides to—

(a) land within 2 metres of the centre of a hedgerow, watercourse or field ditch; and

(b) land which is within 1 metre of the top of the bank of a watercourse or field ditch.

(2) The requirement in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply—

(a) to land on either side of a hedgerow which was planted on or after 1st January 2005 and which is less than 5 years old;

(b) to land forming part of a parcel of 2 hectares or less, as measured within permanent boundary features;

(c) in relation to the use of pesticides, if the only application of pesticides is the spot-application of herbicides to control the spread of any of the weeds mentioned in paragraph 8 or 9;

(d) to the extent that the Secretary of State has, for reasons relating to livestock production, crop production or the enhancement of the environment, given the farmer written permission to do otherwise;

(e) to land referred to in sub-paragraph (1) which is set aside pursuant to Article 54 of the Council Regulation, in the calendar year that it is set aside M4 ; and

(f) to land referred to in sub-paragraph (1) which is set aside pursuant to Article 55(b) of the Council Regulation, in the calendar year that it is set aside M5 .

(3) A farmer may cultivate the land referred to in sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) in order to establish a green cover where that land does not already have a green cover, and that land is part of a field which—

(i) has been created by the merger of two or more fields or the division of a field; or

(ii) was previously outside the scope of cross-compliance; or

(iii) is no longer subject to the standards of good agricultural and environmental condition under regulation 4 of the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme (Set-aside) (England) Regulations 2004 as a result of the set-aside period coming to an end; and

(b) where land is to be set aside from production pursuant to Article 54 of the Council Regulation, in so far as cultivation is necessary to establish a green cover as is required by the standards of good agricultural and environmental condition under regulation 4 of the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme (Set-aside) (England) Regulations 2004

(4) In this paragraph—

(a) “pesticides” means any substance, preparation or organism prepared or used for destroying any pest; and

(b) “pest” means any organism harmful to plants or to wood or other plant products, any undesired plant and any harmful creature.

Marginal Citations

M4 In that case the farmer must comply with the provisions as to land set aside from production in regulation 4(1), (3) to (6) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme (Set-aside) (England) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/3385).

M5 In that case the farmer must comply with the provisions as to land set aside from production, in regulation 4(2) to (6) of, and Schedule 2 to, the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme (Set-aside) (England) Regulations 2004.

Hedgerows

11.  A farmer must not remove a hedgerow in breach of regulation 5(1) or (9) of the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 M6 .

Marginal Citations

M6 S.I. 1997/1160, amended by S.I. 2003/2155.

12.—(1) Except where sub-paragraph (2), (3) or (4) applies, a farmer must not cut or trim any hedgerow during the period within any year beginning with 1st March and ending with 31st July.

(2) A farmer may cut or trim a hedgerow at any time if it is necessary to cut or trim it because—

(a) it overhangs a highway or any other road or footpath, over which there is a public or private right of way, so as to endanger or obstruct the passage of vehicles or pedestrians;

(b) it obstructs or interferes with the view of drivers of vehicles or the light from a public lamp;

(c) it overhangs a highway so as to endanger or obstruct the passage of horse-riders; or

(d) it is dead, diseased, damaged or insecurely rooted, and because of its condition it, or part of it, is likely to cause danger by falling on a highway, road or footpath.

(3) A farmer may carry out hedge-laying and coppicing during the period beginning with 1st March and ending with 30th April.

(4) A farmer may trim a hedgerow by hand during a period of six months beginning with the first day after the hedgerow is laid.

(5) A farmer need not comply with the requirement in paragraph (1) to the extent that the Secretary of State has, in order to enhance the environment, improve public or agricultural access, or for reasons relating to livestock or crop production, given the farmer written permission to do so.

Meaning of “hedgerow” in paragraphs 10, 11 and 12

13.  (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), paragraphs 10, 11 and 12 apply to any hedgerow growing in, or adjacent to, any land which forms part of the farmer's holding, if—

(a) it has a continuous length of at least 20 metres; or

(b) it has a continuous length of less than 20 metres and, at each end, meets (whether by intersection or junction) another hedgerow.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), a hedgerow is also one to which these Regulations apply if it is a stretch of hedgerow forming part of a hedgerow such as is described in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) Paragraphs 10, 11 and 12 do not apply to any hedgerow within the curtilage of, or marking a boundary of the curtilage of, a dwelling-house, except that paragraph 10 does apply to land on the side of the hedgerow which is facing away from the dwelling house where that hedgerow marks a boundary of the curtilage of that dwelling house.

(4) A hedgerow which meets (whether by intersection or junction) another hedgerow is to be treated as ending at the point of intersection or junction.

(5) For the purposes of ascertaining the length of any hedgerow—

(a) any gap resulting from a contravention of the Hedgerows Regulations 1997; and

(b) any gap not exceeding 20 metres,

shall be treated as part of the hedgerow.

Stone walls

14.—(1) A farmer must not remove, or remove stone from, a stone wall.

(2) But a farmer may remove, or remove stone from, a stone wall—

(a) to widen an existing gateway in it to no more than 10 metres in order to provide access to the land for machinery or livestock, and in that case the ends of the wall created by the widening operation must be finished with a vertical face;

(b) if he uses the stone to repair another stone wall on his land which is in better condition than the stone wall which is removed or from which the stone is removed;

(c) if he uses the stone to make minor repairs to a footpath on his land; or

(d) if the Secretary of State has, in order to enhance the environment, improve public or agricultural access, or for reasons relating to livestock or crop production, given the farmer written permission to do so.

(3) In this paragraph—

(a) “stone wall” means a stone wall used as a field boundary with—

(i) a continuous length of at least 10 metres;

(ii) a continuous length of less than 10 metres which meets (whether by intersection or junction) another field boundary at each end; or

(iii) a continuous length of less than 10 metres which forms an enclosure;

(b) “footpath” has the meaning given to it in section 329(1) of the Highways Act 1980 M7 .

Marginal Citations

M7 1980 c. 66.

Environmental impact assessment

15.—(1) A farmer must not begin or carry out a project without first obtaining either a decision that the project is not a relevant project or a decision granting consent for the project in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-natural Areas) (England) Regulations 2001 M8 .

(2) A farmer must not breach a stop notice that has been served on him under regulation 22(1) of those Regulations.

(3) A farmer must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with any requirement of a reinstatement notice served on him under regulation 24(1) of those Regulations.

(4) In this paragraph, “consent”, “project” and “relevant project” have the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of those Regulations.

Marginal Citations

M8 S.I. 2001/3966, amended by S.I. 2005/1430.

16.—(1) A farmer must not carry out, on any land, work or operations relating to a relevant project unless—

(a) consent has been granted for that project by the Commissioners or by the appropriate authority; and

(b) the project is carried out in accordance with the consent (including any conditions to which the consent is subject).

(2) A farmer must not carry out work in relation to a relevant project in contravention of a requirement to discontinue that work in an enforcement notice served in accordance with regulation 20 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 M9 .

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) a farmer on whom an enforcement notice has been served in accordance with regulation 20 of those Regulations must not fail, within the period specified in the enforcement notice, to carry out any measure required by the enforcement notice.

(4) In this paragraph, “the appropriate authority” and “the Commissioners” have the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of those Regulations, and “relevant project” has the meaning given by regulation 3(1) of those Regulations.

Marginal Citations

M9 S.I. 1999/2228.

Heather and grass burning

[F11 17.— (1) A farmer must not burn heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium unless—

(a) there are, where the burning is taking place, sufficient persons or equipment to control and regulate the burning during the entire period of the operation;

(b) he takes, before commencing burning and during the entire period of the operation, all reasonable precautions to prevent injury or damage to any adjacent land, or to any person or thing on that land.

(2) A farmer must not burn heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium—

(a) on land which is within an upland area, during the period within any year from 16th April to 30th September, both dates inclusive; or

(b) on all other land, during the period within any year from 1st April to 31st October, both dates inclusive,

except under (and in accordance with) a licence issued by Natural England under regulation 7 of the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2007.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2), “upland area” means all the land shown coloured pink (except land in the Isles of Scilly) in the three volumes of maps numbered 1 to 3, each volume being marked “Volume of maps of less-favoured farming areas in England”, dated 20th May 1991, signed and sealed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.]

Textual Amendments

F11 Sch. para. 17 substituted (1.10.2007) by The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2003), regs. 1, 10

Sites of special scientific interest

18.—(1) A farmer who owns or occupies any land included in a site of special scientific interest other than a European Site, must not, while a notification under section 28(1)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 M10 remains in force, carry out, or cause or permit to be carried out on that land any operation notified under section 28(4)(b) unless he meets the conditions in section 28E(1)(a) and (b) of that Act M11 , or unless he has a reasonable excuse.

(2) A reasonable excuse in sub-paragraph (1) includes a reasonable excuse under section 28P(4) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 M12 .

Marginal Citations

M10 1981 c. 69. Section 28(1)(b) was substituted by the 2000 Act, section 75(1) and Schedule 9, paragraph 1.

M11 Section 28E(1)(a) and (b) were inserted by the 2000 Act, section 75(1) and Schedule 9, paragraph 1.

M12 Section 28P(4) was inserted by the 2000 Act, section 75(1) and Schedule 9, paragraph 1.

19.—(1) In relation to land which is a site of special scientific interest other than a European site, a farmer must not, without reasonable excuse, F12 ... intentionally or recklessly destroy or damage any of the flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features by reason of which that land is of special scientific interest, or intentionally or recklessly disturb any of those fauna.

(2) A reasonable excuse in sub-paragraph (1) includes a reasonable excuse under section 28P(7) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 M13 .

Textual Amendments

F12 Words in Sch. para. 19(1) omitted (1.1.2007) by virtue of The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross-compliance) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/3254), regs. 1, 9

Marginal Citations

M13 Section 28P(7) was inserted by the 2000 Act, section 75(1) and Schedule 9, paragraph 1.

20.  A farmer must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with a requirement of a management notice served on him under section 28K(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 M14 .

Marginal Citations

M14 Section 28K(1) was inserted by the 2000 Act, section 75(1) and Schedule 9, paragraph 1.

21.  A farmer must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with a restoration order made under section 31 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

22.  A farmer who is a section 28G authority within the meaning of section 28G(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 must comply with the requirements of section 28H of that Act.

23.  In paragraphs 18 and 19—

“site of special scientific interest” means an area of land which has been notified under section 28(1)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and

“European site” has the meaning given by regulation 10 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) Regulations 1994 M15 .

Marginal Citations

M15 S.I. 1994/2716, amended by the Environment Act 1995 (1995 c. 37) and S.I. 2000/192; there are other amending instruments but none are relevant.

Tree preservation orders

24.  A farmer must not, in breach of a tree preservation order made under section 198(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 M16 , or in contravention of section 211 of that Act (which relates to trees in conservation areas where no tree preservation order is in force), cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree.

Marginal Citations

M16 1990 c. 8. Section 211 was amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5) section 86.

Scheduled monuments

25.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), a farmer must not, without consent under section 2(3) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 M17 , execute any of the following works—

(a) any works resulting in the demolition or destruction of, or any damage to, a scheduled monument;

(b) any works for the purpose of removing or repairing a scheduled monument or any part of it;

(c) any works for the purpose of making any alteration or addition to a scheduled monument or any part of it; and

(d) any flooding or tipping operation on land in, on or under which there is a scheduled monument.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), if a farmer executes any works to which a scheduled monument consent relates, he must comply with all conditions attached to that consent.

(3) If a farmer can show that—

(a) in relation to works prohibited by sub-paragraph (1)(a), he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid or prevent damage to the monument;

(b) in relation to works prohibited by sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (c), he did not know and had no reason to believe that the monument was within the area affected by the works or, as the case may be, that it was a scheduled monument; and

(c) in relation to works prohibited by sub-paragraph (1) or (2), the works were urgently necessary in the interests of safety or health and that notice in writing of the need for the works was given to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as soon as reasonably practicable,

the execution of the works in question shall not be treated as a failure to comply with this paragraph.

(4) In this paragraph, “scheduled monument” has the meaning given by section 1(11) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and “scheduled monument consent” shall be construed in accordance with sections 2(3) and 3(5) of that Act.

Marginal Citations

M17 1979 c. 46.

Felling of trees

26.—(1) Where a felling licence is required under section 9(1) of the Forestry Act 1967 M18 , a farmer must not fell a tree without the authority of a felling licence.

(2) A farmer must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to take any steps required by a notice given to him under section 24 of the Forestry Act 1967 (a notice to comply with conditions, directions or a restocking notice).

Marginal Citations

M18 1967 c. 10.

Public rights of way

27.  A farmer must not—

(a) without lawful authority or excuse, disturb the surface of a visible footpath, a visible bridleway, or any other visible highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway other than a made-up carriageway, so as to render it inconvenient for the exercise of a public right of way; or

(b) without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstruct the free passage along a visible highway.

28.  A farmer must maintain any stile, gate or similar structure, other than a structure to which section 146(5) of the Highways Act 1980 M19 applies, across a visible footpath or bridleway in a safe condition, and to the standard of repair required to prevent unreasonable interference with the rights of persons using the footpath or bridleway.

Marginal Citations

M19 1980 c. 66, as amended by the 2000 Act.

29.—(1) Where a farmer has disturbed the surface of a visible footpath or bridleway (other than a field-edge path) as permitted under section 134 of the Highways Act 1980, he must, within the relevant period under section 134(7) of that Act, or within an extension of that period granted under section 134(8) of that Act—

(a) so make good the surface of the path or bridleway to not less than its minimum width as to make it reasonably convenient for the exercise of a right of way; and

(b) so indicate the line of the path or bridleway on the ground to not less than its minimum width that it is apparent to members of the public wishing to use it.

(2) In this paragraph, “minimum width”, in relation to a highway, has the same meaning as in Schedule 12A to the Highways Act 1980.

30.  In paragraphs 27, 28 and 29 of this Schedule—

• “bridleway”, “carriageway”, “field-edge path”, “footpath” and “made-up carriageway” have the meaning given to them in section 329(1) of the Highways Act 1980;

• “highway” has the meaning given to it by section 328 of the Highways Act 1980; and

• “visible” means visible as a route to a person with normal eyesight walking or riding along it.