Here Is What the Town Council Has to Say About Plans to House Up to 1,200 Asylum Seekers at a Former Military Base

A town council is preparing to oppose plans to house asylum seekers at a former military base, even though the site is around 50 miles away from the town.

The Home Office confirmed earlier this year that it wants to seek planning permission to use the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site, near York, to house up to 1,200 asylum seekers while their claims are being processed.

However, Reform-led Scarborough Council has now called for urgent answers from both the Home Office and North Yorkshire Council over whether Scarborough could be affected by the plans.

Councillors are concerned that people staying at the former RAF base could later be moved to Scarborough without proper consultation with local residents.

The council wants a “comprehensive, open consultation” before any decision is made about using Scarborough as a placement area for asylum seekers whose cases have not yet been fully processed.

North Yorkshire Council has already unanimously opposed the plans. It says RAF Linton-on-Ouse is not a suitable location because the site is isolated and does not have enough local infrastructure. It has also raised concerns about the site’s closeness to schools and residential areas.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the issue is due to be formally discussed by Scarborough Town Council on Tuesday.

The proposed motion calls for a full assessment of how housing asylum seekers could affect Scarborough. It also asks councillors to continue monitoring the situation and to speak up for local residents in future discussions about housing, migration and the possible impact on the community.

The Home Office has previously said that using the former RAF site would depend on detailed checks and assessments. These checks could take several months before a final decision is made.

Independent councillor Rich Maw, who sits on both Scarborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Council, criticised the motion and said residents needed more than political statements.

He argued that councils should put forward clear and realistic plans that are within their legal powers, with specific actions and responsibilities.

The Home Office said the government is working to close asylum hotels and move asylum seekers into other forms of accommodation, including former military sites.

The department said it was working with local authorities to spread asylum accommodation more fairly across the country and reduce the impact on local communities.

It also said the number of people being housed in asylum accommodation is falling and that costs have dropped by £1 billion since the general election.

Residents near the former military sites have also expressed concerns about the plans.

In Barnham, near the RAF base, 23-year-old Callum Banthorpe said the village does not have enough infrastructure to cope with a sudden increase in population.

Mr Banthorpe, who bought his first home in the village for £180,000 in January, said there was not enough local infrastructure to support an additional 1,250 people.

He added that he might have thought differently about buying the property if he had known about the plans before making the purchase.

The debate is expected to continue as councils and residents wait for more information from the Home Office about exactly how the former RAF base could be used and whether nearby communities, including Scarborough, could be affected.