The communities secretary, Angela Rayner, has approved full planning permission for an asylum centre at a Ministry of Defence site near the village of Piddington in Oxfordshire.
asserted
secretary → approve → Oxfordshire
The decision approves plans to go ahead with the refurbishment and redevelopment of the former barracks.
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decision → approve → barracks
The Home Office insists that final approval is still to be determined.
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approval → insist → ?
In September, people in Piddington voted to leave the UK in a symbolic referendum against plans to house 1,256 detained asylum seekers nearby.
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people → vote → seekers
A total of 285 people were in favour of independence from the UK while 26 voted against.
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26 → vote → UK
The poll was organised by campaigners for residents to demonstrate opposition to the plans for accommodation at the converted MoD site near the town of Bicester.
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poll → organise → Bicester
A Home Office spokesperson said on Thursday: “Planning permission allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester.
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us → say → Bicester
However, a final decision to proceed is yet to be taken.
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decision → proceed → ?
“The government is working on a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, with over £1bn saved in costs since the election.
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1bn → work → election
“This includes closing all asylum hotels and moving to alternative accommodation, including former military sites.
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This → include → sites
These are designed to be self-contained, with 24/7 security and CCTV, to minimise the impact on the local community.”
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These → design → community
There is now a six-week window when the decision can face a legal challenge.
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decision → be → challenge
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “The secretary of state has granted full planning permission for the temporary, phased use of the former MoD Bicester storage site.
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secretary → say → site
“As the decision may be subject to legal challenge, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”
uncertain
it → comment → challenge
Last month, campaigners against the government plans took their complaints to the high court.
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campaigners → take → court
The group Wrong Plan Wrong Site had appealed for a judicial review into the Home Office proposals for the former MoD Bicester site.
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group → appeal → site
In August, the government concluded an environmental assessment was unnecessary for the proposed development.
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assessment → conclude → development
But campaigners challenged that decision, with the group saying there were “credible concerns about potential significant environmental effects”.
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group → challenge → effects
Last summer Andy Burnham said that people in more affluent areas of the UK must “play their part” in housing asylum seekers.
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people → say → seekers
Katie Lam, the shadow housing secretary of state, said: “Angela Rayner has told the people of Piddington that their voices count for nothing.
“
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voices → say → nothing
A village of a few hundred people will now have 1,256 illegal male migrants housed on its doorstep against the wishes of almost everyone who lives there.
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who → have → everyone
“Andy Burnham says every community must ‘play their part’ when it comes to housing illegal migrants, but why should British people suffer as a result of this government’s refusal to secure our border?
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people → say → border
The answer is not moving illegal migrants from hotels to military bases.
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answer → move → bases
It is removing them as soon as they arrive.
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they → remove → them
“Only the Conservatives are serious about protecting British communities.”
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Conservatives → protect → communities
The Home Office announced in June it was exploring the use of three former military sites to house asylum seekers: MoD Bicester, MoD Barnham and MoD Linton-on-Ouse.
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it → announce → seekers
The government is also seeking to extend the use of two existing sites, Crowborough until 2030 and Wethersfield beyond 2027.
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government → seek → 2027
The Aporia
