Access to green space must be priority for land use in England, peers say

Originally published in The Guardian, Tuesday 13 December 2022

Cross-party report highlights need for greater access to natural world when deciding how to divide up land

Access to green space needs to be prioritised when deciding how to use land, a report from the House of Lords has said.

Peers from the cross-party House of Lords land use in England commission have laid out their priorities for a land use framework, which would divide up the land in England and decide where is best for different types of agriculture, as well as carbon sequestration, nature restoration and recreation.

The report, published on Tuesday, explains that “a framework should help better identify and define those areas where land should be optimised for priority uses other than housing – for example, prime agricultural land for food production or land which is essential for carbon sequestration and nature recovery.”

It highlights in particular the need for greater access to the natural world for the public, arguing that this is “important for health and wellbeing, especially in urban and peri-urban locations near where people live”. The report adds that “access to green space must be a priority in a land use framework, and provision and maintenance of accessible green space must also be strengthened in existing policies”.

The report suggests using the green belt to expand access to green space. Matthew Kirby, a PhD researcher at Northumbria University, told the report that – when viewed through a natural capital lens – green belt areas have the potential to deliver significant multifunctional land uses, including carbon sequestration, flood management and recreation.

The Green MP Caroline Lucas recently tabled a private member’s bill asking for the green belt to be open for the public, arguing it is near urban centres where many people do not have natural areas nearby.

The report was also highly critical of the UK farming system. Jake Fiennes, the director of Holkham nature reserve in Norfolk, told the commission that “current agricultural and farming practices are generally unsustainable for the medium to long term. Our reliance on synthetic inputs and the effects they have on the wider environment are all too clear.”

The report criticises the government for uncertainty around the post-Brexit farming payments, which were supposed to deliver nature recovery. Details around these have been delayed, with reports that the initially ambitious schemes are set to be weakened.

Commenting on the report, Lord Cameron, the chair of the land use in England committee, said: “Land use in England is facing a growing number of conflicting pressures and demands including for food, nature, biodiversity, net zero targets, housing, energy and wellbeing.

“The government cannot afford to deprioritise this issue. We urge the government to set up a land use commission with responsibility for creating a land use framework which will help identify and address current and emerging challenges and opportunities for land use in England. The framework is essential to support effective land use strategies and tackle the many challenges currently faced.”