Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the reforms to Empty Dwelling Management Orders announced on 27 September 2026, whether the Department plans to issue updated guidance on taking account of the potential to return empty homes to occupation when assessing the need to release Green Belt land through local plans.

My Department has no plans to update Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) on housing and economic needs assessment to account for the reforms to the Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) regime that were announced on 7 September.

The PPG in question already details how dwelling stock, including vacants, are accounted for in the calculation of a minimum annual local housing need figure using the Standard Method.