RAF Scampton asylum seeker plan could be revisited

A government minister has not ruled out using RAF Scampton to house asylum seekers, despite a previous plan being scrapped

A defence minister has refused to rule out using RAF Scampton and other military sites to house asylum seekers.

Luke Pollard, minister of state at the Ministry of Defence, said "every site" would be considered including those "visited by the Home Office in the past" as the government looks to stop the use of hotels to house people coming to the UK.

RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire was one site that formed part of a Conservative government plan that was scrapped by Labour last year.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "The answer to failed asylum hotels is not failed asylum camps."

He added: "The government had rightly begun to move away from using more former military camps after its own spending watchdog found they cost more to run than using hotels.

"The solution is faster, fairer decisions and safe housing in communities, so refugees can work, study and rebuild their lives."

Pollard said the government was looking at "both military and non-military sites" to provide temporary accommodation and would not rule out Scampton as an option.

"We're looking at a whole range of sites at the moment, especially those that have hard standing that we can build temporary accommodation on," he said.

Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh, who had been a vocal critic of the potential use of Scampton, told the BBC last month that the site "should not be revisited".

A previous plan to house asylum seekers at the former RAF Scampton site was scrapped in September 2024

Sarah Carter, who is part of the Save Our Scampton campaign group, said the government would have a "bigger fight on their hands" if they revisited the plan.

"To the new Home Secretary and to anyone else that needs to hear it. We won't just lay down and let you walk all over us. We'll be fighting even harder," she said.

In August, it was revealed the failed attempt to house asylum seekers on the RAF Scampton site had cost the Home Office at least £48m.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said they would provide an update once decisions were made.

'Wholly unsuitable'

In a statement, the Home Office said: "We have committed to close all asylum hotels and to achieve this we will look at a range of cheaper, more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities."

They added more details would follow in due course.

Sally Grindrod-Smith, director of planning, regeneration and communities at West Lindsey District Council, said the authority remains clear in their position that RAF Scampton is "wholly unsuitable as a site for asylum accommodation".

She said: "The location presents significant challenges, including the protection of nationally important heritage, the limitations of local rural infrastructure, unresolved contamination issues, and the sheer scale of disruption such a proposal would cause to our communities."

She added that working with their development partner Scampton Holdings Limited, they are "committed to securing a positive future for RAF Scampton" and have submitted an expression of interest to acquire the site to deliver their £300m regeneration plan.

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