BN11: Planting new hedges Grant

About this grant

BN11: Planting new hedges is a capital grant item that funds the creation of new hedgerows planted with locally occurring native species. This item provides habitat and food sources for bees, pollinators and birds, helps capture carbon, and supports biodiversity recovery and improvement on agricultural land. The grant can be used where new planting extends existing hedgerows, links existing lengths of hedgerow, reduces soil erosion and runoff, helps capture ammonia emissions near livestock facilities, or plants hedges on earth and stone-faced hedge banks. Applicants must plant between November 1 and March 31 using 2-year-old native transplants in two staggered rows, prepare a minimum 1.5m wide planting strip, control weeds, protect plants from livestock through fencing at least 1.2m from the hedge centre, and trim newly planted hedges within the first two years to encourage bushy growth. The item requires management control of both sides of the boundary and cannot be used on hedgerow gaps of 20m or less.

Eligibility

Applicants must have management control of both sides of the boundary where hedges will be planted. The item can be used on former hedgerows shown on historic maps or other records, to extend existing hedgerows or link existing lengths, where new planting reduces soil erosion and runoff, where new planting helps capture ammonia emissions near slurry or digestate stores and livestock housing, or to plant new hedges on earth and stone-faced hedge banks. The item cannot be used on hedgerow gaps of 20m or less. Applicants must not obstruct or block entry points to open access land. This item is available under Capital Grants 2026 and can be used as part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier applications.

Key requirements

• ✓Must meet Natural England eligibility criteria for hedge planting
• ✓Land must be suitable for new hedge establishment
• ✓Applicants must comply with Natural England's specification and management requirements

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for BN11: Planting new hedges?

Eligibility covers organisations in GB; local-authority, nonprofit, charity, social-enterprise, community-group, individual. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Biodiversity funding backs habitat restoration, species protection, protected areas and nature-positive business. It comes from environment agencies, multilateral nature funds and conservation philanthropy, often through competitive calls with defined regions. Applicants are usually asked for baseline surveys, local partners and indicators that show ecological change.