The Department for Communities and Local Government is backing plans for a major review of patterns of land use in rural and urban areas. The two-year Land use futures project will examine the impact of climate change and population increases, and be undertaken by the Government's think tank, Foresight. It will also assess the effect of demands for housing and infrastructure and changes of patterns of agriculture on land use to see how it can deliver sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits. The project, also sponsored by the DEFRA, will be overseen by Prof John Beddington, the Government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Government Office for Science. ‘We have a limited amount of land but an increasing number of demands on it. We need to closely examine the factors at play in order to make the best decisions,' said Prof Beddington. ‘If we are going to develop policies that can stand the test of time we need to ensure policy-makers can think strategically about future uncertainties and opportunities.'
