Morning, Tuesday, 23rd June 2026
Online
This conference will consider the way forward for managing competing demands on land use in England, examining key issues following the Government’s recently published Land Use Framework for England.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to assess issues including setting priorities for land use and balancing competing demands, application of the Framework’s principles in practice across sectors, and arrangements for decision-making, coordination and accountability. It comes with concerns being raised around implementation, responsibilities and a need for clearer incentives, despite stakeholders generally welcoming the vision.
We expect discussion on priorities for the new land use unit in Defra to coordinate delivery and integration with wider policy. Further sessions in the agenda focus on long-term planning for the 2030 and 2050 milestones set out in the Framework.
Balancing multifunctional use, environmental concerns & sustainability
Delegates will examine strategic approaches to implementation of the Framework’s proposals for coordinated and multifunctional landscapes. The agenda will draw out latest thinking on questions around balancing food production, nature recovery, housing and energy infrastructure - and on practical frameworks for cross-sector working to utilise the strengths of the land.
Aims for 7% of land to be allocated for nature and renewables will be considered. Areas for discussion include the incentives and levers needed to support this, timings and conditions for renewable developments, the application of biodiversity regulations and Environmental Impact Assessments, as well as funding and support mechanisms - particularly for tenant and smaller farms.
The agenda looks at practical delivery mechanisms to support multifunctional land-use outcomes, including approaches to funding, prioritisation, and compensation, as well as the potential impact of accelerated housing and infrastructure delivery on higher-quality agricultural land.
Delegates will also assess models for co-location - such as agrivoltaics - drawing on emerging evidence from pilot projects, alongside the role of private finance, insurance, and market-based instruments in supporting multifunctional farming systems, taking account of differences in tenure, farm size, and location.
Key Framework principles, coordination & delivery
Delegates will examine the four new land use principles set out in the Framework - covering approaches to making best use of land, protecting environmental assets, supporting food production, and contributing to climate and nature targets - and their application at national and local levels. Discussion will focus on the interpretation of these principles in practice, alongside arrangements for cross-department coordination, clarity of roles, and mechanisms for identifying and addressing potential conflicts at an early stage.
Further consideration will be given to governance arrangements for land-use decisions and how different priorities are managed in practice. This includes coordination between productive farmland, food security objectives, legally binding nature and climate targets, adaptation and risk management, and planning and infrastructure priorities, as well as approaches to improving consistency and predictability in decision-making across different areas and sectors.
Planning, infrastructure & community engagement
The agenda will also examine how the Framework can be effectively embedded within planning and infrastructure processes - focusing on community engagement and place-based planning, managing pressures from housing and the energy transition, and the role of data and decision-support in guiding land-use choices.
We expect discussion to reflect concerns over how the Framework can effectively influence land-use decisions in the absence of statutory weight. Delegates will also examine its interaction with existing and proposed planning policy - including revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and new spatial plans - as well as implications for local authorities, developers, regulators, and local communities.
The way that community priorities can be considered within place-based planning will be discussed - alongside practical approaches to engagement, coordination and managing competing pressures. This includes addressing issues around housing growth, the energy transition and solar developments, as well as how transport and local services are weighed alongside other land-use priorities.
Data, tools & innovation
Further discussion will explore the role of data, decision-support tools, and monitoring at local and national levels. The use and updating of land classification and biodiversity datasets will be explored, as well as development of accessible tools for planners and land managers.
Further discussion is expected on the use of technology to improve the collection and sharing of land data, alongside monitoring arrangements to help identify and mitigate unintended impacts on soils, habitats, or productive land.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include a parliamentary pass-holder from the House of Commons and officials from the Climate Change Committee; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Environment Agency; Great British Energy; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Defence; National Audit Office; Office for Environmental Protection; Isle of Man Government; and the Welsh Government.
