The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has published England’s first ever Land Use Framework – a plan for delivering new homes, nature restoration, clean energy and food security.

The government's Land Use Framework sets out a plan for managing England's finite land to ensure the nation’s long-term resilience.

According to the government, for too long, fragmented decision-making has led to inefficient land use and left the country exposed in the short term and vulnerable to climate change. Three of the five worst harvests on record were in the last five years and a third of farmland is now at high risk of flooding.

Based on the most advanced land use analysis ever undertaken, the Framework will support food security and national resilience, making a clear, long-term commitment to maintaining food production in England. At the same time, it will also support farmers to diversify and remain profitable in the face of extreme weather and market shocks.

Farmers, who have just experienced one of the wettest winters on record, will benefit from sophisticated new modelling to help them future-proof their businesses. The Framework sets out how incentives will be optimised to deliver for nature and resilient food production. It will also give more rights and greater certainty to tenant farmers, who manage a third of England’s farmland, by reforming the Farm Tenancy Forum to give them a greater role in policy making.

The Framework is intended to give the long-term clarity needed to meet environmental commitments and the policy to back it up, with a single spatial map of England’s natural assets showing where nature recovery can have the greatest impact.

“This means by 2030, we will see restored peatlands, healthier coastal habitats, expanded wetlands, and canopy cover lining our urban streets,” the government says.

The Framework will help steer development to the most suitable locations, away from flood plains – helping to accelerate delivery of the government’s promise of 1.5 million new homes while protecting critical habitats.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, in a speech 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 government’s new Framework gives decision-makers a single, shared vision for how we can play to the strengths of our diverse landscapes. This will help landowners, planners and energy providers to make effective decisions about where we locate new infrastructure, bolstering the country’s resilience to both short-term shocks and long-term vulnerability to climate change.”

Over the next year, the government 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.

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

“The Land Use Framework is a significant and timely step forward – giving us the tools to make smarter, more joined-up decisions about how our land is used. It sets out the scale of change required to balance environmental priorities – water, climate and nature – with the equally pressing demands of food production, housing and development.

“Using lower-grade agricultural land for natural flood management, for instance, can cut flood risk, boost biodiversity and build more resilient landscapes – critical approaches as we adapt to a changing climate while delivering real benefits for communities and the environment.”

The Land Use Framework was developed after extensive public consultation, which began last January, and including regional roadshows as part of a national listening exercise.

Click here to download the Land Use Framework document in full