The House of Lords' Land Use in England Committee has just published its report on land use - "Making the most out of England's land".  It is a very detailed report, of 100 pages including appendices, including an entire appendix devoted to translating acronyms.  

Perhaps the key recommendation coming out from it is for the establishment of a Land Use Committee, that will look to reconcile the different uses to which land is put in England.   What is aimed for is a more joined-up approach:

"We believe that a Land Use Commission should be set up as an independent, statutory arms-length public body under the Cabinet Office. It should have an independent Chair appointed by the Cabinet Office and independent commissioners as well as commissioners representing and appointed by: 

• DEFRA—representing the interests of food, biodiversity and forestry; 

• DLUHC—representing the interests of housing, local government and integration within the planning system

• BEIS—representing the need for increased self-sufficiency in renewable energy

• DCMS—representing the need for access to nature and tourism and 

• DfT—representing the need for transport infrastructure."

 This recognises that there are issues with the current set-up, not least as the same land may be subject to very different demands, eg land which is being used to grow food may also be a source of biodiversity, and its owner may have longer term plans for housing there.  A Commission that can reconcile those interests must be a positive development.