Land Use Framework published with promise to prioritise food production

The government has published England’s first Land Use Framework, which it says will play a central role in delivering food security, clean energy, nature restoration and new homes over the coming decades.

The long-awaited announcement argues that fragmented decision-making has led to inefficient land use, leaving Britain exposed in the short term and vulnerable to climate change.

Based on what Defra described as the “most advanced land-use analysis ever undertaken”, the framework sets out a vision for land use in 2030 and 2050, which it plans to evolve in response to new demands and consultation feedback. It will be up to local areas and regions to adopt or match the vision to their own plans and priorities.

Clarity and access to information

When it comes to food production, the framework says farmers and land managers will have clarity on long-term opportunities for their land and policy on food production by 2030, enabling greater investment in highly productive food growing and farm business diversification.

Farmers will have better access to information on where their land fits into national usage, and will have sight of planned updates to ELM schemes, with Defra promising it will be easier for them to see the full range of benefits that they could be paid to deliver on their land.

By 2050, agricultural land will be managed to prioritise sustainable food production and environmental benefits, the framework states. “Supported by a continued close partnership between farmers and the government, farmers will have a clear, long-term view of the funding options available to them and confidence to invest in their land,” it says.

“We will produce more of what we consume, partly because more of our land will be efficiently growing the high value food that people recognise on their plates, rather than ingredients for processed and unhealthy food or animal feed, and farmers will see more of this value.”

Environment secretary Emma Reynolds, speaking at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, said: “Our land is a vital national asset, but it is finite. We cannot be held back by the false choices between building homes and producing food, restoring nature and supporting farmers, or delivering clean energy and protecting landscapes.

“With better data, smarter tools and strategic planning, we can meet all these needs. This ensures people can manage their land in the way that works best for them while unlocking growth, strengthening food security and protecting our environment.”

The development came on the same day that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced plans to cut red tape and allow farmers, as well as businesses and public sector organisations, to install a single small on-shore wind turbine without needing to apply for planning permission.

Over the coming year, the government said it will establish a dedicated Land Use Unit to drive delivery of the framework and produce England’s first single map of national spatial priorities for Defra.

Alongside more effective spatial planning for infrastructure and growth, this will align national and local strategies, accelerate decision-making and give more certainty to investors and developers, it said.

Industry welcomes ‘positive’ development

Responding to the launch of the Land Use Framework, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said it was positive to see “an explicit recognition of multifunctional land use and a commitment to maintain food production within the framework”. The commitment, he added, alongside the repetition from Defra that food security is national security, is vital as the global geopolitical situation continues to become more uncertain with the war in the Middle East and ongoing war in Ukraine.

“The Land Use Framework is a step in the right direction, but challenges remain about delivering against the ambitious objectives as the first 2030 milestone approaches,” he continued. “Delivering on all objectives with existing land is an ambitious aim and will require clear guidance, the right policy framework and incentives, to avoid unintended outcomes and ensure that all farmers and growers are able to meet the ambitious productivity objectives within the framework.

“We will work through the detail of the framework and will continue to engage with Defra with further feedback from farmers and growers.”

Soil Association policy director Brendan Costelloe said: “It is great news that we finally have a Land Use Framework. Our food system is dangerously vulnerable to shocks like war and climate change, and this is a step towards greater resilience.

“Wildlife in the UK is in crisis so nature must be given space to recover. But for the land that will remain farmland, it’s vital the government recognises that food production does not have to stop to create space for nature. We can, and must, make sure the land that’s producing food is doing so in a nature-friendly way. We know multifunctional land management is possible, with 30 per cent more biodiversity on organic farms.

Costelloe added that the government also needs to set a strategic direction for the kind of food produced in Britain, to allow farmers to create more space for habitats and nature-friendly farming. “This means less land growing food for industrial livestock and more fruit, veg, beans and pulses, which is a far more efficient and healthier way to feed humans,” he said.

“The government’s Farming Roadmap and Food Strategy are the perfect opportunity to do just that.”