Linton on Ouse: Villagers left to wait another two weeks for final decision on asylum seeker centre

The Home Office wants to convert the old RAF base in Linton-on-Ouse into a centre for up to 1,500 men, despite a furious backlash from villagers.

Hambleton District Council announced it is planning to take legal action to halt the proposals, as the Home Office may have acted unlawfully by failing to follow the correct process, and it sent a pre-action protocol letter last month.

The Government department sent a holding response on Tuesday, saying it will not be able to respond in full until July 15 and Ministers will not make a final decision on the processing centre until then.

However, the Home Office is continuing to develop the plans and said the site in Linton-on-Ouse is “urgently needed to provide essential asylum accommodation”.

Councillor Mark Robson, leader of Hambleton District Council, said the council wants a “substantive response” from the Government department before it decides whether to press ahead with legal action.

He added: “We continue to understand that no final decision has been taken by Ministers to accommodate asylum seekers at RAF Linton and that we will receive at least seven days’ notice from the Home Office should they intend to begin moving people onto the site.

“We have been further reassured by the Home Office that it agrees that the time for commencing any legal proceedings will not start until it has made a final decision and that this will not be made before July 15, when we expect to receive the pre-action protocol response.”

The Tory councillor also said that if the plans are approved, the council wants 28 days notice before any asylum seekers move in.

Under the current proposals, the centre will house destitute single men, while their asylum claims are processed, and they will not be detained there but will be expected to stay on site overnight.

The Home Office said a number of facilities will be provided, so the men can shop, exercise, pray and receive healthcare at the centre.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “As we continue to work on the plan for the asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse, which will be as self-sufficient as possible, we continue to listen to community feedback.

“We maintain the site is urgently needed to provide essential asylum accommodation and will assist as we end the use of asylum seekers using hotels, which are costing the taxpayer almost £5m a day.”

She added: “Our New Plan for Immigration will fix the UK’s broken asylum system, allowing us to support those in genuine need while preventing abuse of the system and deterring illegal entry to the UK.”