On 10 March, members of the Farming APPG and the Local Nature Recovery APPG held a joint meeting ahead of the publication of the Land Use Framework for England. The aim was to better understand how better land use decisions can manage competing priorities including food production, nature recovery, housing, and energy infrastructure.

The group was able to ask questions of a series of expert speakers: Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission; Carolyn McKenzie, Director of Environment and Planning at Surrey County Council; Phil Stocker, Chair of the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group; and Roger Mortlock, Chief Executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

The conversation ranged widely, covering the value of inclusive decision-making and multifunctionality as well as the practical aspects of how the framework will be implemented and intersect with existing and forthcoming spatial plans.