{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/arable-area-payments-regulations-northern-ireland-1997/schedule-3/paragraph-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/arable-area-payments-regulations-northern-ireland-1997/schedule-3/paragraph-1.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/1997/477",
  "legislation_title": "Arable Area Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/arable-area-payments-regulations-northern-ireland-1997",
  "path": "schedule/3/paragraph/1",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": "Retention of features on the set-aside land",
  "text": "A farmer shall not damage, destroy or remove—\n(a) any existing hedge or row of trees (including hedgerow trees);\n(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;\n(c) any existing lake, lough, ditch, watercourse, pond or pool;\n(d) any existing vernacular building or stone wall; or\n(e) any archaeological feature or feature of historical importance,\nwhich is situated on or adjacent to the set-aside land concerned unless he satisfies the Department either that it should be damaged, destroyed or removed for environmental or for safety reasons or that he is obliged to do so to comply with a legal requirement.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": "prospective",
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 3 para. 1 in operation at 12.12.1997, see reg. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "coming into force",
      "affecting": "nisr/1997/477",
      "affecting_title": "Arable Area Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997"
    },
    {
      "type": "coming into force",
      "affecting": "nisr/1997/477",
      "affecting_title": "Arable Area Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997"
    },
    {
      "type": "coming into force",
      "affecting": "nisr/1997/477",
      "affecting_title": "Arable Area Payments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "nisr/1998/308",
      "affecting_title": "Arable Area Payments (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1997/477/schedule/3/paragraph/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T02:26:28.346784+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}