Government launches plans to find land for food, housing, nature and energy

The Government has unveiled proposals to ensure England’s finite land can meet the escalating demands of food security, clean energy, nature restoration and new homes.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed is set to launch a consultation for the long-awaited land use framework – a guide to better manage the country’s landscape in the face of a changing climate, global instability, a growing population and the energy transition.

Under the plans, the highest quality agricultural land will remain protected for food production, the Government said.

But ministers will also look into how and where land can be used for other needs such as solar farms, reservoirs, roads, new woodlands and new towns.

With land use long seen as a sensitive and politically thorny issue, the Environment Secretary will insist that the framework “will not tell people what to do”.

During a speech at the Royal Geographical Society on Friday, Mr Reed is expected to announce the “start of a national conversation” on how the country can meet multiple land objectives and contribute to the wider pursuit of economic growth.

The Government has recently shifted its rhetoric to focus on the prioritisation of growth above all else, vowing to take on “nimbys” and overhaul environmental regulations to drive through major infrastructure projects.

But the Environment Secretary will set out the new policy as a strategic approach to meeting national targets on water, nature and climate as well as shoring up food security and boosting the economy.

Mr Reed recently sought to reset relations with farmers after proposed changes to inheritance tax became a political flashpoint for an industry crippled by rising costs, tough market conditions and worsening climate impacts.

With the framework proposals likely to see pushback from some in the farming sector, Mr Reed will reiterate his message that food production remains a priority.

“The primary purpose of farming will always be to produce food that feeds the nation,” he is set to say.

“This framework will give decision makers the toolkit they need to protect our highest quality agricultural land.”

Mr Reed will also argue that the land use framework is about “working together to pool our knowledge and resources, to give local and national government, landowners, businesses, farmers and nature groups the data and tools they need to take informed actions that are best for them, best for the land, and best for the country”.

As part of the consultation, the Government will hold workshops with farmers, landowners and other stakeholders across the country over the next few weeks.

Interested groups will be asked about the best ways to incentivise and deliver the shift of agriculturally unproductive land towards diverse purposes.

Alongside draft proposals, the Government will publish data on how England’s land is currently used as well as modelling what future land use may look like.

This will help to support decision-making by local government, landowners, businesses, farmers and nature groups to make the most of England’s limited land, it said.

“It’s time for policy to leave the chambers of Westminster and reflect the actual lived experiences of farmers, landowners and planners on the ground,” Mr Reed will say.

Ahead of the speech, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “This new approach will make better use of our land and grasp the opportunities to deliver new homes and infrastructure in the areas most in need, achieving win-win results for both development and the environment.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The biggest threat to nature and food security is the climate crisis, which threatens our best farmland, food production and the livelihoods of farmers.

“As we deliver our mission for the UK to become a clean energy superpower as part of the Plan for Change, we will ensure a proper balance between food security, nature preservation and clean energy.”

Sue Pritchard, chief executive of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, which helped to develop the framework and ran pilot consultations in Devon and Cambridgeshire, said: “Setting out clear principles, and working across government departments, we’re pleased to see that the land use consultation focuses on mechanisms for delivery.

“Our work in Devon and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire proves that farmers and land managers, communities, local authorities, green groups and businesses are keen to work together to help shape a Land Use framework.”

After the consultation, the Government will continue extensive sector engagement to design the final land use framework.