Home Office Faces Backlash Over New Asylum Housing Sites

The Home Office is proceeding with a strategy to transition asylum seekers from hotels into long-term housing, a move the department claims will save taxpayers over £1 billion. As part of this effort, the government plans to spend £150 million next year to fund large-scale accommodation sites.

In North Yorkshire, the government proposes converting the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse airbase into a facility for up to 1,200 single adult male asylum seekers. The plan has sparked significant opposition from the Linton Action Group and Conservative MPs, who argue the rural village lacks the infrastructure to support the population increase. Local representatives and residents have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Asylum Minister Anna Turley to visit the site and scrap the proposal.

Simultaneously, the Home Office confirmed it will use Roman Court, a former sheltered living complex in Leverington, to house asylum seekers, specifically mothers and babies. Fenland District Council has strongly opposed the decision, citing risks to public safety and community cohesion. Tensions in Leverington have already escalated, including public protests and a suspected arson attack at a disused building on the site. Serco, the contracted provider, is now tasked with ensuring the facility meets all legal and safety requirements before it becomes operational.