Landowners will not be risking their single farm payments if utility networks damage soil when carrying out maintenance.

Forestry firm Tillhill said farmers were often concerned they would be penalised when allowing access to their land, especially during wet conditions, but that was a mistake.
 
A spokesperson for the firm said statutory undertakers had a legal obligation to carry out vegetation management works, such as cutting and pruning trees and hedgerows, to keep electricity wires free from obstruction and possible interference, whatever the season.

As a result utility workers and surveyors needed to access the electricity network across the UK including on private land.

Though SFP can be endangered through non-compliance with established guidelines, work by utility workers and surveyors was normally treated as ‘being beyond the farmer’s control’, she said.

DEFRA document PB10763, FAQ111 states that farmers and landowners should make every effort to discuss with the network operator the work to be done and minimise damage as a result of the work. 

Nevertheless, they would not be held responsible for any damage and thus are not considered to be ‘non-compliant’.