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DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has welcomed the publication of the Land of Plenty? report produced by the Land Use Working Group (LUWG)

The LUWG was established as an independent, advisory and time-bound group to review existing strategies and evidence, and to produce recommendations to help guide future land use policy making in Northern Ireland.

Minister Muir said: “I welcome the publication of the Land Use Working Group’s report and thank members for their constructive engagement.

“Land is one of our greatest natural assets and the way in which we use and manage land is essential to addressing key societal challenges from climate change and nature recovery to sustainable food production and thriving, resilient rural communities. Decisions around how we use land in future will determine our ability to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change, to produce high quality food, to produce energy to power our economy, and to pass on a world rich in nature to future generations. These demands compete for a finite resource, which is why a more strategic and joined-up approach to decision making is essential.

“The group’s report is a valuable contribution, bringing together a wide range of expertise and perspectives.”

The group operated independently in an advisory capacity, and the recommendations in the report are intended to inform discussion around land use decision making.

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