Military base asylum centre near Piddington granted planning approval
Government approves housing up to 1,256 men at former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire
Quick Look
- The UK government has granted planning permission to house up to 1,256 men at MoD Bicester near Piddington, Oxfordshire, using an Urgent Crown Development application.
- The decision drew 3,177 objections and one support, with opposition politicians criticising the use of emergency powers and the site's suitability.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Home Office applied to house up to 1,256 men at MoD Bicester using an Urgent Crown Development application. Piddington village symbolically voted to leave the UK in opposition, and campaigners have legally challenged the plan. A government report recorded 3,177 representations against and one in support.
Planning permission to house asylum seekers at a former military site near the Oxfordshire village of Piddington has been granted by the government.
The Home Office's application to house up to 1,256 men at the MoD Bicester site was fast-tracked using an Urgent Crown Development application.
The nearby village of Piddington symbolically voted to leave the UK in opposition to the planned site, which has also been legally challenged by campaigners.
A Home Office spokesperson said the planning permission "allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester" but no final decision on the proposal had been taken.
A government report said the decision received 3,177 representations against and one in support.
It also said Housing Secretary Angela Rayner ruled permission should be granted because "national demand for asylum accommodation remains high".
The permission allows for demolition of existing buildings, the building of new modular accommodation and provisions for health and welfare facilities.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "Angela Rayner and the Labour government have betrayed the people of Piddington by abusing their emergency powers in this way."
He continued: "Instead of accommodating illegal immigrants, the government should leave the ECHR so they can be rapidly deported."
Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller said it was "the wrong plan and the wrong site for local communities, asylum seekers and taxpayers".
"I am deeply disappointed that the government has approved this proposal despite the serious concerns raised by residents and local councils as well as the major problems with the site," he added.
The approval could be challenged by an application to the High Court within six weeks, beginning the day after the date of the decision.
The government said a challenge "may be brought only on the ground that the decision is legally flawed - it is not an opportunity to reconsider the planning merits".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
A High Court challenge to the planning permission may be filed within six weeks of the decision.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- When will a final decision on the proposal be taken?
- What is the timeline for demolition and construction of modular accommodation?
- Will the High Court challenge be filed within the six-week window?
