West Lindsey District Council has taken legal action against the Home Office to challenge the decision to use a local Royal Airforce station as a location for asylum reception.
It follows an announcement by the Foreign Minister on Wednesday to use RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as a location for up 2,000 asylum seekers.
The local authority said in a statement it does not see the base as “appropriate” and is concerned that proposals from the Home Office will affect plans to implement a £300 million regeneration program and endangering the “world famous heritage” site. .
It insisted there are a “significant number of barriers” to mobilizing the site for asylum seekers, including “significant contamination” from previous use of the site that would require “deep cleanup”.
The body accused the Interior Ministry of “failing to provide satisfactory answers” to questions asked and said it has therefore taken legal action to challenge the government department’s decision.
The Council’s Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities, Sally Grindrod-Smith, said: “Despite continued efforts by the Council to notify the Home Office of the irreparable damage that would be done to the one-off investment opportunity the Home Secretary has taken the decision to use RAF Scampton as the venue for asylum accommodation.
“The Council believes the decision is irrational and, furthermore, the Ministry of the Interior does not have the appropriate planning permission for the intended use.
“The Council has therefore issued a pre-action letter, sent in accordance with the Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review, requiring the Home Secretary to respond by 4 p.m. Thursday, April 6, 2023.”
She added: “The Council is well aware of the concerns raised by the proposal and the potential loss of much-needed ‘levelling’ investment. We will continue to urge the Home Office to engage directly with our community conversation to fully understand the concerns raised.”
According to a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document released by the government following its decision, the site would accommodate “single adult male” asylum seekers using a “staged approach” – starting with moving 200 people to place before this increases over time to 2,000 people. .
The FAQ document said: “RAF Scampton has been identified as a surplus military site suitable for asylum accommodation.
“The site will create new jobs and bring investment to the area, following the completion of the RAF facility.
“The site at RAF Scampton will provide accommodation for asylum seekers and has been designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, minimizing impact on local communities and services.”
PA contacted the Home Office for comment.