Land ownership in the United Kingdom: Trends, preferences and future challenges

Abstract

The relation between population, land use and land ownership has been little explored by academic researchers, and the redistribution of land ownership has largely disappeared from political debate. This article, while recognising the fragmented and limited data available on land ownership, seeks to summarise the broad changes in land ownership during the past century, distinguishing the three main types: private, state and communal tenure, as well as freehold and leasehold tenures. After considering the effects of the spatial planning system upon land use, it addresses some critical emerging issues, such as environmental protection, risk assessment, and housing land supply, and suggests some future directions for land ownership and the role of the state.