The UK’s new Land Use Framework marks a major shift in how we manage one of our most valuable assets. As it moves toward implementation, expert insight is vital. IAgrE’s Position Brief highlights the technical and systems-based expertise needed to turn ambition into action.
In March 2026, the UK government published the Land Use Framework, which built on consultations and national discussions from earlier in 2025. The Framework recognises land as a critical national asset and sets out how it can be used more effectively to deliver multiple benefits. It is not a national plan that tells people what to do; rather, it provides a structure to enable collaborative data-based decision-making among all those with a stake in land use.
To achieve this, the Framework sets out three key elements: firstly, a vision for how a strategic data-driven approach can support resilient food systems, housing and infrastructure delivery, climate mitigation, and nature recovery; secondly, a set of principles to guide better land use decision-making; and finally, the actions the government will take, in partnership with others, to enable and support land-use change.