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Written question asked by James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 5 June 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 June 2025. It was answered by Marsha De Cordova (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 June 2025 on behalf of the Church Commissioners.


Church of England: Land

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if the Commissioners will publish a map of the land the Church owns in Lewes constituency; how much land the Church owns in that constituency broken down by land use; and what proportion of that land not in agricultural use is managed with the primary aim of (a) conserving nature and (b) restoring natural ecosystems.

Answer

The Church Commissioners do not own land in the constituency of Lewes, and the closest assets are situated in West Sussex and Kent.

The Church Commissioners register all farmland holdings with the Land Registry, providing public access to ownership details. Details are also available about the management of these holdings in the annual report, which is available in the House of Commons Library or online here: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/governance/national-church-institutions/church-commissioners-england/who-we-are/publications

Due to the disproportionate cost of producing and maintaining a map alongside the need to respect the interests of our tenants, the Church Commissioners do not intend to publish a map of our land holdings.

The Church Commissioners remain committed to providing updates on initiatives that support both nature and community development, including biodiversity projects, sustainable food production, and housing.

The most recent stewardship report regarding the management of our timberland and biodiversity on farmland can be found here on page 34: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/6677_cc_stewardship_v11b_0.pdf


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
57900
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Church of England Land Nature conservation Lewes
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk