Bradley Thomas MP has voted to prioritise development on brownfield sites first in order to protect the greenbelt.
The vote on Lords Amendment 37 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill took place in the House of Commons last night (April 21st).
It failed to pass after the Government used its majority to vote it down.
The amendment would have prevented a mayor or combined authority from designating greenfield land for development unless they were satisfied that no "suitable" brownfield land was available in the area.
Bradley supported the amendment as he continues to fight to protect Bromsgrove and the Villages’ greenbelt following the Government increasing the constituency’s housing target by 85%.
Bromsgrove District is 89% greenbelt and 79% rural, but the Government has made the decision to reduce Birmingham’s target by 31% - despite the city having at least 140 hectares of brownfield land that could be built on.
According to the latest "State of Brownfield 2025" report from the CPRE, there is enough brownfield land capacity in England to support a minimum of 1.41 million new homes.
Following the vote, Bradley said:
“As the Government continues to attack our greenbelt, I voted to prioritise brownfield sites before designating greenfield land for development.
“Our greenbelt in Bromsgrove and the Villages is under attack like never before, and I’m doing everything I can to protect it.
“There is enough brownfield land in England alone to build 1.41 million homes on. That should be the Government’s priority. Instead, they’re pursuing a policy to help their friends in the cities whilst punishing rural Britain.
“It doesn’t have to be this way, and I won’t stop 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.”
