Intervention Point 4: National Public Land & Development Register
🗺 What are we trying to do?
We want the UK to publish a full, transparent register of public land — including where it is, who owns it, and how it’s being used or disposed of. This includes land held by councils, central government, NHS trusts, and arms-length bodies.
🎯 What will this achieve?
- Makes it harder for public land to be sold off quietly or used inefficiently
- Allows communities to push for public interest uses like housing, parks, or schools
- Provides a foundation for strategic land use planning and democratic oversight
🏩 NATIONAL LEVEL – What should our MP do?
✅ 1. Push for legislation or guidance
Back a new requirement that:
- All public landholdings be registered and regularly updated
- Sale intentions be flagged early and made contestable
✅ 2. Submit Written Questions
Ask departments like DLUHC and the Cabinet Office to disclose:
- What data they hold on public land
- Whether disposal plans are subject to transparency and scrutiny tests
✅ 3. Request a Select Committee Review
Ask the Public Accounts Committee or Levelling Up Committee to:
- Investigate past public land disposals
- Recommend controls and disclosure rules
🏡 LOCAL LEVEL (EHDC) – What can be done right now?
✅ 1. Publish a local register of public land
List all land held by EHDC, Hampshire County Council, and NHS trusts in the district, with use status.
✅ 2. Update asset strategy
Declare how each parcel of public land will be retained, reused, or offered for community-led development.
✅ 3. Consult on future land use
Where disposal is proposed, hold open consultation and allow bids from local housing associations, co-ops, or community trusts.
🤝 What should our MP do locally?
- Ask EHDC to adopt the register and publish land maps
- Promote best use of public land through events and newsletters
- Raise concerns in Parliament where public land is misused or sold below value