Villagers in Linton-On-Ouse, where the Labour Government want to house 1200 asylum seekers at the old RAF base, have reacted with concern over news that the one at an MOD site in Oxfordshire has been given the go-ahead.
The housing secretary has approved plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers at MOD Bicester near Oxford, next to the village of Piddington.
Villagers held a symbolic referendum in which they voted to “leave” the UK back in September in protest.
The plan for the RAF Linton-on-Ouse site HAS NOT been approved yet.
A spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: “The secretary of state, Angela Rayner, has granted full planning permission for the temporary, phased use of the former MOD Bicester storage site.
“As the decision may be subject to legal challenge, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”
A post on the Linton-on-Ouse Action Group Facebook page said: We know that today’s (Thursday 12 November) news from Bicester will have raised questions and concerns.
“It’s important to separate what has happened there from what it actually means for us.
“Bicester’s approval is not approval for Linton. The two sites are separate proposals, with their own feasibility assessments, planning requirements and approval processes.
“A decision on one does not automatically determine the other.
“Linton has not been given planning permission. The Home Office’s latest published position is that Linton remains subject to detailed feasibility assessments, which could take several months. Any proposal would still require the necessary planning permissions and approvals.
“Planning permission being granted at Bicester does not mean the Home Office has made a final decision to proceed at Linton.”
But villagers who live next door to the site, a few miles north of York, are deeply concerned about the latest developments.
The action group post says: “We should be realistic.
“Bicester’s approval demonstrates that the Government is prepared to use this planning route for former military sites, so it would be wrong to suggest that it has no implications for Linton.”
“Please don’t assume the worst from the headlines. Equally, let’s not lose sight of the work still needed to secure a proper decision for Linton-on-Ouse.”
In Oxfordshire, Tim McNally, the chair of Piddington Parish Council, has previously told Sky News that he feared the village would become “entrapped.
