1. Government insists there is enough land to meet competing demands
The framework states that there is enough land to meet competing demands, including food production, housing, climate action and nature recovery, if land is used more efficiently. This relies on food production increasing in line with historic averages, which the government believes is feasible according to its projections.
2. Clear commitments on food production and multifunctional land use
The framework makes a clear, long-term commitment to maintain overall food production in England, recognising its importance for national security. It also says the ‘best and most versatile farmland’ will be protected from permanent land use change.
Additionally, sector-specific growth plans, starting with horticulture and poultry, will look at opportunities to improve productivity, profitability and resilience.
3. 2030 and 2050 marked as key milestones for progress
By 2030, farmers are expected to have clarity on the long-term opportunities for their land and availability of ELMs (Environmental Land Management schemes). Many farm businesses are also expected to be combining multiple income streams.
By 2050, agricultural land is expected to be managed in a way that prioritises sustainable food and environmental benefits.
4. Delivering nature recovery
The framework emphasises the importance of targeting habitat creation in the most suitable locations and scaling up the use of nature-based solutions, including woodland creation and peatland restoration.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies will guide development so that it supports nature restoration. Measures such as Biodiversity Net Gain and nature-based solutions will ensure that new development leaves the environment in a measurably better state, while Environmental Delivery Plans will help secure improved outcomes for important habitats and species.
Additionally, the government has committed £50 million to improving water infrastructure and supporting the sustainable management of lowland peat.
5. Tenant farmers are explicitly recognised
Tenant farmers manage roughly a third of England’s farmland, and the framework explicitly recognises the need for policies that work for them.
Government commitments include:
- A Law Commission review of agricultural legislation to ensure that tenant farmers are not locked out of opportunities to implement and benefit from land use changes.
- Reforming the Farm Tenancy Forum to give tenant farmers a greater role in policy making.
- Working with the Tenant Farming Commissioner to ensure the impacts and opportunities of land use change for tenants inform future policy and legislation.
- Working with the sector to understand what fair compensation there is for tenants who may lose land to non-agricultural development in order to inform policy and legislative developments.
6. Meeting future climate, nature, food production and development targets
By 2050, the framework estimates that 5% of the UAA (Utilised Agricultural Area) will see changes in farming practices while remaining primarily focused on food production. It also projects that around 9% of UAA will shift towards delivering climate and nature outcomes (eg, habitat creation, carbon sequestration), while a further 2% each will be needed for renewable energy infrastructure and urban expansion.
These changes reflect the framework’s emphasis on multifunctionality, ensuring that land delivers multiple benefits simultaneously.
Wider land management change for resilience is expected to occur on all farmland, though this is not quantified.
7. New Land Use Unit to coordinate national priorities
A new Land Use Unit will be established in Defra, tasked with producing a single national map of land use priorities. When published alongside wider government priorities, this will give a unified picture across food production, nature recovery, water, climate change, infrastructure, housing and growth.
8. Government commits to ‘making land digital’
This commitment includes getting more data into digital maps, improving mapping platforms, providing open-access soil data and increasing transparency around land ownership. Together, these measures aim to support faster and more informed decision making for planners, developers and farmers.
9. The framework guides decisions – but isn’t legally binding
The framework does not replace the planning system, and planners are not legally required to use it. Instead, it offers new data and spatial analysis that should help speed up house building, infrastructure delivery, and environmental recovery. A central element is a set of principles designed to guide decisions by government and landowners, including “multifunctionality”, “right use, right place”, “future ready decisions” and “adaptive by design”.
The framework also signals a future shift towards spatial targeting of ELM schemes/payments and regulation as early as 2027.
10. Start of a larger process
The next key step will be the 25-year Farming Roadmap, due to be published later in 2026. It will be informed by the new Farming and Food Partnership Board, which held its first meeting last month.
The framework itself will be updated every five years based on progress and feedback.
