Bradley Thomas MP is urging the Government to set out a strategy to bring empty homes back into long-term use.
According to Action on Empty Homes, there are more than 1 million empty homes in England. In October 2025, Bromsgrove District had 635 empty homes, of which 384 had been empty for more than 6 months.
As part of his ongoing to fight to save Bromsgrove and the Villages’ greenbelt, the local MP has launched a Parliamentary petition that demands the Government sets out a strategy to bring the more than 1 million empty homes back into long-term use.
It also demands the Government builds houses on brownfield land first after the "State of Brownfield 2025" report from the CPRE found there is enough brownfield land capacity in England to support a minimum of 1.41 million new homes, of which 55% already have full or in-principle planning permission. The Government could meet 94% of its 1.5 million new homes target just by building on brownfield alone.
The petition also demands that, when houses are built in the right locations, they should only be built when the accompanying infrastructure is provided.
The local MP believes that, if the Government builds houses on brownfield land first and brings empty properties back into use, the 85% increase in Bromsgrove and the Villages’ housing target could be reversed, saving the greenbelt and protecting the constituency from excessive development.
Bradley said:
“This is a common-sense approach to housing policy in this country.
“It’s absurd that the Government is coming for our greenbelt when there’s just so much more they could be doing instead, like bringing the 1 million empty homes back into use and building on brownfield first.
“I won’t stop fighting until this Government wakes up, sees sense and reverses their 85% increase in our housebuilding target which will destroy our precious greenbelt as we know it.
“More than 3,300 people have already signed my petition. If you agree with my brownfield land first and empty homes common-sense approach, then please add your name to my petition by visiting my website.
“Together, let’s send a strong message to the Government that we're not going to stand by whilst they bulldoze over our greenbelt!”
Residents can sign Bradley’s petition by clicking here.
