Tiny Village of Just 600 Residents Sends Strong Message to Labour Minister Over Plans to House 1,200 Male Asylum Seekers Nearby

People living in a small North Yorkshire village are asking a Labour migration minister to visit their community because of plans to house up to 1,200 male asylum seekers at a former RAF base nearby.

Linton-on-Ouse has around 600 adult residents and about 100 children. Villagers say bringing 1,200 adult men to the site would be a major change for such a small community. They estimate it could result in roughly five men for every woman in the area.

Residents are now asking Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley to come to the village and see the situation herself. They say they have already sent thousands of emails and letters but have received no response.

The Home Office is considering using the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site to accommodate up to 1,200 adult male asylum seekers. The proposal is part of the Government’s wider plan to reduce its use of asylum hotels and eventually close them.

Some villagers say the uncertainty surrounding the proposal is already affecting their community. According to them, some families renting homes in the area have decided to move away.

The Linton-on-Ouse Action Group has written an open letter to Anna Turley asking her to visit the village. The group said residents should not be dismissed as racist or uncaring simply because they have concerns about the proposal.

They explained that they understand the Government faces a difficult challenge in finding accommodation for people seeking asylum. However, they believe placing as many as 1,200 single adult men in or close to a small and isolated rural village is not the right solution.

The residents said they want a fair and reasonable discussion with the Government. They invited Turley to visit the former RAF base, walk around the village, meet local people and hear their concerns directly.

They also pointed out that Linton-on-Ouse is only around an hour’s drive from Turley’s Redcar constituency, meaning the journey would not be very far.

The residents even added some humour to their invitation, saying that because it is Yorkshire, they would provide tea during her visit.

The Action Group has also raised concerns about how much the proposed asylum accommodation could cost taxpayers.

According to figures presented by the group, initial operating costs could reach around £403.4 million over three years. The group claims the cost could work out at at least £423.29 per asylum seeker each night and could rise to around £527.81 depending on how the centre operates.

They argue these figures are much higher than the Home Office’s expected cost for large accommodation sites and also higher than some other forms of asylum accommodation.

There was already an attempt to turn RAF Linton-on-Ouse into an asylum centre in 2022. That plan did not go ahead, and around £2.9 million was reportedly lost in setup costs that could not be recovered.

Money is not the only concern being raised by residents. Some parents are worried about safety because there is a primary school, nursery and children’s play area within about a mile of the former RAF base. People housed at the proposed centre would not be detained and would generally be able to leave the site.

These concerns have also reached Parliament. Conservative MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke, who represents Wetherby and Easingwold, has questioned Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood about the proposal. He argued that the location was unsuitable because it is close to a primary school.

There are also questions about whether the village has enough services and infrastructure to support such a large increase in population. York Central MP Rachael Maskell has warned that the centre could place extra pressure on local water supplies, sewage systems and electricity.

Linton-on-Ouse is not the only military site being considered for asylum accommodation. Sites in Piddington, Barnham, Crowborough and Wethersfield have also been proposed for similar use.

The Home Office says using large sites like former military bases could save taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds and help reduce the country’s reliance on expensive asylum hotels. The asylum hotel bill reportedly cost taxpayers around £2.1 billion last year.

However, residents of Linton-on-Ouse say the Government should listen to the people who will be directly affected before making a final decision. Their message to the minister is simple: come to the village, see the area for yourself, speak to local families and hear why they believe housing 1,200 men beside such a small community would be the wrong decision.