Defra Unveils Multifunctional Land Use Vision But Questions Remain

The government has published its first Land Use Framework setting out how England’s limited land should be used more efficiently to balance food production, housing, nature and climate goals, using a national spatial map and new modelling tools.

Over the coming decades Defra’s new plan is designed to safeguard food production while bolstering resilience to climate change and global shocks but industry bodies say questions remain for the future of food and farming.

The long-awaited announcement follows three of the five worst harvests on record during the last five years and comes at a time when one third of farmland is deemed at high risk of flooding. 

Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining food production in England, Defra said its plan demonstrates there is “enough land” provided it is used “more efficiently and for multiple benefits”. 

“With better data, smarter tools and strategic planning, we can meet all these needs,” remarked Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds. “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.”

A Single, Shared Vision 

Underpinned by the most advanced land use analysis conducted to date in England, the Land Use Framework will provide principles, data, mapping, and tools to help guide decisions by local authorities, farmers, landowners, and businesses in a more joined‑up way.

The strategy will guide where new homes, infrastructure and woodland go, and where the most productive agricultural land is protected, affecting future availability and security of horticultural land. 

It is likely to shape where intensive horticulture is protected or squeezed, how flood‑risk areas are managed, whether glasshouse and peri‑urban sites get planning priority, and how tenant growers are treated in policy. 

The strategy promotes “multifunctional” land use so that the same areas can contribute to food, carbon, flood management, and biodiversity where possible, rather than serving only a single purpose.

For farming businesses, the framework is intended to help maximise the potential of land for multiple uses, unlock more private finance into nature‑based projects, and make the food system more resilient to risks such as flooding. 

Defra said farmers will benefit from sophisticated new modelling to help future-proof their businesses, supporting diversification and profitability in the face of extreme weather and market shocks. 

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also cut red tape to allow farmers, businesses, and public sector organisations to install a single small onshore wind turbine without planning permission.

Over the next year a dedicated Land Use Unit will be set up to produce a single map of natural assets that will align national and local decisions, giving clearer visibility on where production risks and opportunities may emerge.

Longer-Term Challenges Remain

The National Farmers Union (NFU) described the strategy as a “step in the right direction” but said questions remain on a long-term vision for food and farming. 

“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,” commented NFU president Tom Bradshaw. 

“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.” 

The Soil Association said the government also must set a strategic direction for the kind of food produced in the UK.

“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,” suggested Soil Association Policy Director Brendan Costelloe. 

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

The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) welcomed the launch as a “positive starting point” for important conversations about the future of food and farming.

“We have long said that farms can do much more than simply produce food, and this report rightly highlights the wide range of goods and services our industry can provide,” said Martin Lines, NFFN CEO, in a press release.

“However, to deliver this framework, land managers need to see a clear pipeline of funding from the public and private sectors to invest in what we need to deliver the required outcomes.” 

For some UK farmers, particularly in the uplands, Lines said the strategy would require a major rethink of their business model. 

“As custodians of some of our most precious habitats and landscapes, it is vital they are supported to navigate the opportunities available,” Lines noted.

Read Defra’s Land Use Framework here.