Running out: facing the crisis in land use
A CPRE Centenary Conference with University College London
Thursday 25 June 2026
16:00 to 17:00
UCL East – One Pool Street, Stratford
For over a century, CPRE has championed the countryside. Today, that countryside is under unprecedented pressure.
By 2050, meeting nature and climate targets alone could require the land equivalent of twice the size of Wales. The message is clear: we are running out of land – and running out of time to think differently about how we use it.
This one-day conference, hosted by University College London, will bring together national and local decision-makers, leading experts and academics, practitioners, famers, land managers and student changemakers, to confront the land crisis head-on.
Together, we will challenge siloed thinking, hold the government to account, and explore how land use change can be delivered holistically and fairly across England.
Delegates will leave informed, inspired and equipped with practical ideas to influence policy, shape decision-making and help deliver solutions to one of the defining challenges of our time.
Event details
Programme
The full programme will be released soon.
Session 1: How did we get here?
Chair: Mary-Ann Ochota, CPRE President
Our opening session examines the roots of the land crisis, from false divides between town and country planning, to fragmented policy and data, to the influence of land ownership and vested interests. Drawing on experts across sectors, speakers will make the compelling case for rethinking how we use land.
Session 2: Designing systems that work
Chair: Tom Heap, writer and broadcaster
Integrating land use across sectors and places requires systems thinking. This panel explores how economic and democratic systems can be better designed around land use, why the environment must be treated as first infrastructure, and how joined-up spatial policy at national level can unlock sustainable solutions.
Session 3: From ambition to action
Chair: Fiona Reynolds, CPRE Vice President
Our final session focuses on delivery. We will showcase the latest examples of integration in practice, including new CPRE research on the tools being used by Combined Authorities, insights from landowners leading innovative land use change, and perspectives from those shaping place-making at local level.
The main conference will be followed by an ‘In conversation’ session and further networking. The keynote speaker will be announced soon.
Speakers
We are delighted to welcome the following speakers and chairs, with more expert voices joining the line-up as they are confirmed.
Tom Heap, writer and broadcaster
Mary-Ann Ochota, CPRE President
Fiona Reynolds, CPRE Vice President
Emma Pinchbeck, CEO, Climate Change Committee (CCC)
Natalie Prosser, CEO, Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)
Helen Browning, CEO, Soil Association
Rachel Fisher, CEO, Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
Sue Pritchard, CEO, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC)
Mark Tewdwr-Jones, Professor of Cities and Regions, University College London (UCL)
Guy Shrubsole, Author
Carolyn McKenzie, Chair of Environment Board, ADEPT
Ellie Brodie, Director, Grounded Insight
Registration
Registration is now open and closes at 17:00 on Friday 5 June.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard registration | £60 |
| Member registration | £40 |
| Student registration | £20 |
To register at the member rate, you must be a member of CPRE. You can become a member from £5 a month. You will be asked to enter your membership number. Students will be asked to enter your student ID number.
On-site registration is not available.
Cancellation policy
Cancellations for a full refund must be made before 17:00, Friday 5 June. Any cancellations after this date will not be refunded. For all cancellations, please contact Centenary Events Lead, Amy Everard: amye@cpre.org.uk.
Organising committee
Roger Mortlock, CEO, CPRE
Ellie Brodie, Grounded Insight
Paul Miner, Head of Policy and Planning, CPRE
Georgie Barber, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission
Professor Kate Jones, Chair of Ecology and Biodiversity, University College London
For any further information, contact Centenary Events Lead, Amy Everard: amye@cpre.org.uk
