Committee publication · Correspondence · 20 May 2026
Correspondence from the Ministry of Defence relating to rural proofing policies, dated 14 January 2026
Summary
The Ministry of Defence responds to an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into rural proofing policies. The MOD, as the UK's largest landowner with 223,045 hectares covering 1% of the estate, outlines its approach to balancing military operations with rural community support and environmental stewardship through Integrated Rural Management Plans and Local Management Plans, collaboration with Defra, and support for tenant farmers.
Key findings
- MOD manages 223,045 hectares with 84,000 hectares designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including 13 National Parks and 33 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, representing significant biodiversity value
- Uses Integrated Rural Management Plans and Local Management Plans developed with stakeholders (tenant farmers, local authorities, environmental organisations) to balance Defence requirements with environmental conservation and public access
- Supports 114,550 hectares of tenanted estate through amended tenancy agreements, rent abatements for conservation work, and facilitated access to agri-environmental schemes including Sustainable Farming Incentive and Landscape Recovery Schemes
- Awarded £560 million Landmarc contract in 2023 to manage Defence Training Estate, supporting 1,308 rural jobs; collaborates with Defra on nature recovery through National Estate for Nature and Government Estate for Nature meetings
- Acknowledges low uptake of Civil Service Learning course 'Understanding Rural Areas' and notes lack of specific funding data allocated to rural-proofing activities, though states openness to further discussions
Tone
ProceduralTopics
rural-affairsenvironmental-stewardshipland-managementnature-recoveryagriculture
Key actors
Luke Pollard MP, Alistair Carmichael MP, Ministry of Defence, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Tenant Farmers Association, Defra, Landmarc Support Services
Notable line
“The MOD is a proud custodian of this diverse and rich landscape, and that we acknowledge our statutory duty to protect and conserve the natural environment while seeking to support this Government's nature recovery commitments.”
Key Quotes
“… the MOD is one of the largest landowners in the UK. Our rural estate covers approximately 223,045 hectares or 1% of the UK and is made up predominantly …”
“… any public access will always need to be balanced with military requirements, safety considerations as well as the need to protect sensitive habitats”
“IRMPs and LMPs are tailored to specific sites and developed in consultation with stakeholders, including tenant farmers, local authorities, and environmental organisations”
“… by amending our standard tenancy agreements and facilitating access to agri-environmental schemes, we have been able to support our farmers in adopting sustainable practices and accessing funding opportunities.”
“At present, we do not have specific information to provide on funding and resources directly allocated to rural-proofing activities”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗