# The Arable Area Payments Regulations 1996, Paragraph 1: Retention of features on the set-aside land


A farmer shall not damage, destroy or remove–
(a) any existing hedge or row of trees (including hedgerow trees);
(b) any tree (not forming part of a hedge or row of trees) whose largest trunk, when measured 1.3 metres above the average ground level of the base of the tree, exceeds 25 centimetres in circumference;
(c) any existing lake, loch, ditch, watercourse, pond or pool;
(d) any existing vernacular building or stone wall; or
(e) any archaeological feature or feature of historical importance;
which is situated on or adjacent to the set-aside land concerned unless he satisfies the Minister either that it should be damaged, destroyed or removed for environmental or for safety reasons or that he is obliged do do so to comply with a legal requirement.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/3142/schedule/3/paragraph/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/arable-area-payments-regulations-1996/schedule-3/paragraph-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.