PEOPLE living in South Lakeland, Furness and north Lancashire could be given wider access to information about the locations of any genetically modified crops in their area, if a new EU directive wins approval.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which claims to be the leading voice on rural land planning and management, has been lobbying for better public information about GM trial sites for two years.

Michael Mashiter, rural spokesman for the RICS in the region, said: "There's lasting public concern and uncertainty about the safety of GM crops.

This could adversely affect property and land prices in areas where GM foods are being grown.

It's therefore essential that people have easy access to information about the location of GM farms."

RICS is urging the government to establish an easily accessible public register recording the location of GM farms, type of crop, nature of the modification and date of sowing.

At present, the information is "hidden away" on a few government web sites, said Mr Mashiter.

Following lobbying by RICS, an amendment to the EU directive on GM organisms has now been agreed by the European Parliament and is awaiting final ratification.

The directive will be subject to government interpretation, but RICS officials plan to put sustained pressure on ministers to ensure maps locating GM crops are available