Residents of the small village of Wethersfield in Essex are expressing growing concerns over the presence of asylum seekers housed at a former RAF airbase nearby. The villagers claim that the asylum seekers have been involved in anti-social behavior, including rioting, attacking moving cars, and even defecating close to their homes. Many say they no longer feel safe walking the streets at night and feel trapped because they cannot sell their homes and move away.
The situation is set to worsen as the Home Office plans to house an additional 220 migrants at the MDP Wethersfield site, bringing the total number of asylum seekers there to 800. This number will exceed the village’s population of just 707 people. Despite promises from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer before the General Election that the asylum center “needs to close,” the government has decided to expand its capacity.
Alison Potter, a 27-year-old agricultural worker and lifelong resident of Wethersfield, shared her fears: “No one feels safe. No one wants it any bigger. I walk back from the pubs at night and I don’t really want to anymore. I’ve got to walk a hundred yards, I shouldn’t feel like that.”
Tony Clarke-Holland, a 56-year-old self-employed father of four, lives just yards from the airbase’s perimeter fence. He described how the presence of the asylum center has devastated his retirement plans. After putting his house on the market in 2023, he received no interest from buyers. “It wouldn’t sell, it won’t sell now. You’re kind of trapped,” he said. Tony also expressed concern about the frequent late-night visits of unidentified men in their twenties and thirties, who pull up outside his house and throw rucksacks over the fence. “Whatever’s going on, I’m sure they’re not throwing pyjamas and cosy blankets over,” he added.
Blake Temperley, a 51-year-old resident living with his two teenage daughters, reported that groups of 20 or more migrants often roam the country roads around the village, leaving elderly residents feeling scared. He claimed to have witnessed migrants defecating in plain view outside the base on multiple occasions. Blake also recounted a disturbing incident where an asylum seeker broke free from a medical professional and threw himself onto the bonnet of his elderly father’s car while his daughter was inside. “Obviously that scared my daughter and my dad. Nothing’s been done about that,” he said.
Adam Finbow, a 53-year-old farmer who runs a 150-acre farm near the base, accused the migrants of “rioting” and expressed frustration that they are receiving support while local residents work hard to pay taxes. “Why are they getting everything and we’re getting nothing? And we’re working our a**** off to pay tax to keep them,” he said.
Former Home Secretary James Cleverly, the Tory MP for Braintree, shares the villagers’ concerns. He warned that increasing the migrant population to 800 could exacerbate the problems, as occupancy above 600 has already proven difficult to manage. “Any increased capacity must be managed closely and reversed if problems reoccur,” he said.
The Home Office recently notified the local council that it would increase the base’s migrant population by 220, following the conditions of a Special Development Order. The council believes the base could reach maximum capacity within eight weeks. Cllr Tom Cunningham, deputy leader of Braintree District Council, stated that the council would hold the Home Office accountable to ensure the site operates safely. However, he reiterated that the rural location lacks the infrastructure to support such a large number of asylum seekers.
A Home Office spokesperson defended the decision, stating that the government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain. They emphasized efforts to reduce the asylum backlog, increase returns of individuals with no right to remain in the UK, and cut costs associated with housing asylum seekers in hotels. “That has inevitably meant difficult choices elsewhere in the short term, including increasing capacity at Wethersfield, but we are determined to reduce pressure throughout the system over time,” the spokesperson said.
Despite these assurances, the villagers of Wethersfield remain deeply concerned about their safety, property values, and quality of life as the asylum center continues to expand.
