Ex-RAF base Linton-on-Ouse to house asylum seekers under government immigration plan
A disused RAF base in a North Yorkshire village will be used to house asylum seekers after the government announced its new immigration policy.Under a crackdown on illegal immigration, Boris Johnson today unveiled plans to fly asylum seekers 4,000 miles to Rwanda to have their claims processed.
But the plans will also see migrants held in "Greek-style reception centres" for up to six months, the first of which will be built at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
The base has been empty since 2020, with the village becoming what was described as a "ghost town" as air force personnel moved out.
It was due to be sold, but under the new plan asylum seekers will be housed there while claims are processed.
Thirsk and Malton Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake has proposed that the site is also opened to Ukrainian refugees.Seeking to reassure the local community he said: "I have recently met with the Immigration Minister following the announcement the RAF site at Linton-on-Ouse will be used as an asylum seeker accommodation and processing centre.
"It forms part of increase in capacity measure to deliver more timely decisions.
"I appreciate my constituents may have a number of questions about this site, but it is important to note these claims must be processed somewhere and in a humane and managed manner.
"I want to assure constituents I will be working closely with the Home Office on this throughout."It is crucial that those being processed are housed in suitable and appropriate settings, with recreation and social facilities to enable those individuals to live as normal a life as possible.
"I have been assured the time limit for any asylum seekers to remain the site will be 180 days and I have ensured the minister is clear this must be stuck to, to ensure those waiting for decisions are not unduly delayed."
RAF Linton-on-Ouse had been in operation for almost a century and was most recently used as a fast jet training facility. The Duke of Cambridge trained there in 2008.Mr Hollinrake added that he was in discussions with the government about how to minimise "disturbance" to local residents – and called for local people to be prioritised for any job opportunities.
He said: "There are a number of conditions I wanted to ensure were considered in advance of the site opening.
"I have made it clear the local community must be at the heart of these plans, prioritising those in the area for any jobs which may be required at the site."I have spoken to other members of parliament who already have similar facilities in their areas. Initial concerns around disturbance to local communities has not been borne out in practice, so hopefully this will be the case here also."
But in a statement from Linton-on-Ouse Parish Council said there had been no consultation about the plans.
They said: "The parish council were not consulted with regards to this decision, and had no prior knowledge of these plans.
"We understand there will be many questions raised regarding the proposals, and we will be working hard to ensure communication lines remain open about the details."