Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has given her support to Bromsgrove and the Villages MP Bradley Thomas’s brownfield first housebuilding campaign during a visit to the constituency.

The Leader of the Opposition joined Mr Thomas in Wythall on Saturday 3 October, where he raised his concerns about the Government’s 85% increase in the constituency’s housebuilding target.

According to Mr Thomas’s office, Mrs Badenoch is the first leader of a political party to visit Bromsgrove and the Villages in recent years.

The visit follows the publication of the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) State of Brownfield 2026 report, which the MP’s office says found enough brownfield land in England for at least 1.54 million homes.

Since his election, Mr Thomas has campaigned to protect the green belt. His approach calls for homes to be built on brownfield land first, for long-term empty homes to be brought back into use, and for infrastructure to be in place before new housing is built.

His Parliamentary petition calling for a brownfield first approach has so far gathered more than 6,700 signatures.

Mr Thomas believes that prioritising brownfield sites and empty homes would allow the Government to reverse the 85% increase in the constituency’s housing target.

Speaking during the visit, Mrs Badenoch said: “Labour want to concrete over the countryside, and they want to build on greenbelt.

“They need to start with brownbelt first.”

Mr Thomas said: “What an honour it was to welcome Kemi, our next Prime Minister, to Bromsgrove and the Villages.

“Given the countless times I’ve raised my concerns in Parliament, she’s very aware of the Government’s 85% increase in our housebuilding target and how it will destroy our greenbelt as we know it.

“I appreciate her support for my common-sense brownfield first policy as I continue to fight to save our precious greenbelt.

“I’ll keep being a thorn in the Government’s side until they see sense and reverse their 85% increase in Bromsgrove and the Villages’ housing target.”

Residents can sign the petition at www.bradleythomas.org.uk/campaigns/build-brownfield-first-and-bring-empty-homes-back-