UK lifts Land Registry paywall, unveils land use plan
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- UK government will lift the paywall on large parts of the Land Registry, making ownership data freely accessible.
- Emma Reynolds will unveil the land use framework on Wednesday afternoon, outlining how England’s land will be managed to meet climate and nature goals.
- Land use framework estimates only about 1% of England’s land will be needed for renewable energy generation and sets targets for forest expansion and peatland restoration as carbon sinks.
- UK government will not force landowners to give up control or mandate conversion of land to carbon sinks, limiting the framework to steering guidance.
- Guy Shrubsole says opening the Land Registry ends a millennium of secrecy and will hold the 1% of the population who own half of England accountable for nature restoration.
- Brendan Costelloe urges the Soil Association to support nature‑friendly farming, such as planting peas, beans, and trees, while avoiding high‑disturbance crops on floodplains.
Why it matters: Free access to ownership data lets NGOs, researchers, and the public scrutinise the handful of large landowners who control half the country, while the framework gives councils concrete tools to protect floodplains and expand green space, without forcing landowners to relinquish their property.
