RAF Scampton: Council in High Court challenge over asylum plans

Up to 2,000 asylum seekers could be housed at the former Dambusters site

The High Court has been told of the "dire need" for regeneration amid claims the government acted unlawfully over its plan to turn RAF Scampton into a centre for asylum seekers.

The Home Office wants to house up to 2,000 migrants at the former RAF site.

On Wednesday, West Lindsey District Council (WLDC) outlined its application for a judicial review of the decision.

It said that if allowed to proceed the plans risked a £300m regeneration project five years in the making.

WLDC's planning director Sally Grindrod-Smith says the authority has been working on plans for RAF Scampton since 2018

WLDC wants to use the 800-acre location near Lincoln for aviation, heritage, tourism, education and research, with a deal to develop the site through partners Scampton Holdings Limited announced in March.

Lawyers for the council told the High Court the project would create thousands of skilled jobs, but there are now growing concerns that the investors may scrap plans if the government proposals for the site are implemented.

In her witness statement to the court, Sally Grindrod-Smith, the council's director of planning and regeneration, emphasised the "time-sensitive" nature of the plans for the former home of the Dambusters, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"What my statement does is it sets the context, it gives the evidence that we've been working on this since the proposals for closing RAF Scampton emerged in 2018," she said following the proceedings.

"We've always been really clear that there is huge potential to develop employment and skills opportunities on the RAF Scampton site.

"In Lincolnshire, we need to level up. We need to provide well-paid jobs, we need to increase productivity, we need to bring new areas for growth and development and that is the principle and the premise for our regeneration plans for Scampton."

'Unclear picture'

The court also examined similar cases presented by Braintree District Council and a local resident from the Essex village of Wethersfield, both alleging the government acted unlawfully in their plans to house up to 1,700 asylum seekers at MDP Wethersfield.

All three claimants criticised the Home Office for what they see as a lack of clarity regarding the timeline of the proposed developments.

The first 46 migrants were moved on to the site in Essex on Wednesday afternoon

Mrs Grindrod-Smith added: "There is quite an unclear picture from the government around the duration of use of these sites.

"We've heard lots of pieces of evidence when there has been reference to two years, three years and even five years in different documents such as value for money and quality impact assessments."

Meanwhile, the first migrants began arriving at MDP Wethersfield on Wednesday afternoon.

The Home Office previously said providing accommodation on "surplus military sites" would be "cheaper and more suitable" and "reduce the use of costly hotels".

It added such sites as the ones being proposed were "more manageable", citing on-site healthcare and catering facilities and security.

The permission hearing is expected to conclude today.