Residents of Piddington have vowed to continue their fight against plans to accommodate 1,256 male asylum seekers at a former military site near their village, insisting that their battle is far from over. The development received full planning permission from Communities Secretary Angela Rayner on Thursday, November 12, despite strong opposition from local residents.The decision concerns the former Ministry of Defence (MoD) site at Bicester in Oxfordshire, which is located close to Piddington. The village, home to around 350 people, had earlier staged a symbolic referendum in which residents voted to leave the UK in protest against the proposed asylum accommodation.While the planning approval marks a significant step towards the development, the Home Office has clarified that a final decision to proceed with the site has not yet been taken. Meanwhile, residents have indicated that they are preparing to challenge the decision through legal proceedings.
‘This war isn’t over yet’: Piddington residents react to planning approval
Local opposition to the proposed accommodation has continued despite the planning decision. Residents have raised concerns about the potential impact on the small community, including public safety, infrastructure, traffic and environmental issues.Joe Marshall, a Piddington parish councillor, told BBC Newsnight that villagers had anticipated the approval despite their objections. He also questioned the planning process and alleged that the application contained several discrepancies.“The quality of the application is shocking, the discrepancies are all over the place. They’ve really not followed the right planning procedure. But regardless of that, we always knew it was going to be approved,” he said.Pointing to the conditions attached to the development, Marshall maintained that the residents’ campaign was not over. “So, you know, this war isn’t over yet,” he added.He also questioned whether the concerns of local residents were being adequately considered, arguing that the proposed development went beyond a typical ‘Not In My Backyard’ (NIMBY) objection.Marshall cited the potential increase in the local population, emissions from generators and the possibility of increased road collisions as some of the issues that had concerned residents.
Piddington villagers threaten legal challenge against asylum accommodation plans
Residents have vowed to continue their fight and are considering a legal challenge against the decision. (Photo: AP)
The planning decision has opened a six-week window during which it can be challenged in court. Piddington Parish Council chairman Tim McNally has indicated that residents are considering further action and that ministers should expect a legal challenge.Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, McNally said there would be “many actions” by villagers, although he did not disclose the community’s immediate plans.He also referred to the Hillsborough Law, saying residents intended to invoke its principles as they considered their next steps.When asked whether ministers should be prepared for a legal challenge, McNally responded, “Absolutely, absolutely.”The proposed development has already faced legal scrutiny from campaigners. The group Wrong Plan Wrong Site has sought a judicial review over aspects of the Government’s proposals, including concerns about the environmental assessment.
Kemi Badenoch criticises Angela Rayner’s decision
The planning approval has also drawn criticism from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who described the decision as a “betrayal of the women of Piddington”.Badenoch, who had previously visited the village, accused the Government of ignoring residents’ concerns despite assurances that their objections would be heard.“When I visited Piddington I met a village terrified of what was about to land on their doorstep. The Government said it was listening, instead it’s completely ignored this community’s concerns,” she said in a social media post.She also described the decision as emblematic of what she called Labour’s disregard for the law and the safety of women and girls.
Why is the UK Government planning to house asylum seekers at former military sites?
The proposed use of MoD Bicester is part of the Government’s wider effort to reduce its reliance on hotels for asylum accommodation. Ministers are looking at former military establishments as alternative locations to provide temporary accommodation for people seeking asylum.Two such sites are already being used for this purpose: Wethersfield in Essex and Crowborough in East Sussex. The Government is also exploring the use of MoD Barnham in Suffolk and MoD Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire.The Home Office has said that the proposed Bicester facility would accommodate single adult male asylum seekers, aged between 18 and 65, if the site is taken forward. The accommodation is expected to operate on a phased basis, with security arrangements and facilities designed to minimise its impact on the surrounding community.A Home Office spokesperson said that the planning permission would allow the department to continue progressing the proposed use of MoD Bicester. However, the spokesperson clarified that a final decision to proceed with the site was yet to be taken.The department also said the Government was working towards a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, adding that more than £1 billion had been saved in costs since the election. This includes its commitment to closing all asylum hotels and moving towards alternative accommodation arrangements.