Angela Rayner grants planning permission for asylum site near Piddington

Planning permission granted

Communities Secretary Angela Rayner has granted full planning permission for the temporary, phased use of the former MoD Bicester storage site near Piddington, Oxfordshire, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said in a statement on Thursday, 12 November. The approval allows demolition of existing buildings, the erection of new modular accommodation and health and welfare facilities. The Home Office's application sought to house up to 1,256 men at the site, and reports describe the scheme as accommodation for more than 1,200 detained asylum seekers. A government report said Rayner ruled that permission should be granted because national demand for asylum accommodation remains high.

Village opposition and the September vote

In September, residents of Piddington took part in a symbolic referendum on leaving the UK, a poll organised by campaigners to show opposition to the plans. Of the votes cast, 285 were in favour of independence and 26 against. Parish council chairman Tim McNally said villagers would take many actions and that ministers should be prepared for a legal challenge. He added that the village could also apply the new Hillsborough Law, which once passed would create a legally enforceable duty of candour for public officials. Villagers have argued that the scheme would pose a significant threat to women in the area.

In favour of independence285

Against26

In favour of independence

285 votes

Against

26 votes

Data from the article text

The campaign group Wrong Plan Wrong Site has already pursued a judicial review of the Home Office proposals in the High Court. In August the government concluded that an environmental assessment was unnecessary for the development, a decision campaigners have challenged, citing credible concerns about potential significant environmental effects. Campaigners have also claimed that the camp would make it harder to train army bomb squads, because of its proximity to a specialist explosives unit.

Political reaction and objections

Luke Pollard, the Defence Readiness and Industry Minister, defended the government's engagement with residents on LBC's Breakfast programme on Friday, 13 November.

“It's pretty obvious that there's a strong sense of feeling from the community around Bicester, especially in Piddington.”

Pollard said he wants to see every asylum hotel closed and argued that large sites such as Wethersfield, run by the Home Office, have not produced the same community impacts. Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, attacked the decision.

“Angela Rayner and the Labour government have betrayed the people of Piddington by abusing their emergency powers in this way.”

Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, said he was deeply disappointed and that the site was unsuitable for residents, asylum seekers and taxpayers alike. Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's shadow home secretary, said the men would outnumber the women of Piddington by eight to one and that Reform would detain and deport them. A government report recorded 3,177 representations against the proposal and one in support.

Against3,177

In support1

Against

3177 representations

In support

1 representations

Data from the article text

Government position and next steps

The Home Office says planning permission allows it to keep progressing the use of the site, and it has welcomed the outcome. It maintains that over £1bn has been saved in costs since the election and that closing all asylum hotels includes moving people to former military sites. Those sites are designed to be self-contained, with 24/7 security and CCTV, the department said.

“Planning permission allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester. However, a final decision to proceed is yet to be taken.”

A High Court challenge can be brought within six weeks, beginning the day after the decision. The government said such a challenge may be brought only on the ground that the decision is legally flawed, and not as an opportunity to reconsider the planning merits. Pollard said the scheme is not yet fully locked in and that a few more stages remain.