Council officials 'refused entry' to RAF Scampton as they try to enforce stop notice

Council officials say they were prevented from entering a former RAF base as they attempted to carry out checks on work to create accommodation for asylum seekers.

Conservation and enforcement officers from West Lindsey District Council tried to conduct a site inspection at RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, to find out whether contractors working on behalf of the government were adhering to an order to cease certain activities.

Up to 2,000 asylum seekers are due to move onto the former airbase, which was home to the famous Dambusters squadron during the Second World War and later the Red Arrows aerobatics team.

Last month portable cabins were seen being installed on the runway, with the first group of migrants expected to arrive within weeks.

Last week the council issued a temporary stop notice (TSN) over concerns about the impact of the work on listed buildings on the site.

Sally Grindrod-Smith, the council's director of planning, said officials were "refused entry" to the site and the checks could not be made.

She added: "As a result of the refusal by the Home Office to allow the council to access the site we cannot be certain if the Home Office are adhering to the requirements of the TSN. 

"The council will continue to request permission to carry out this urgent site inspection, whilst urging the Home Office to adhere to the conditions in the TSN and to respond with appropriate information on site activity as soon as possible."

The TSN was the latest development in an ongoing row about the plans to use Scampton to ease the record backlog in asylum claims.

In force for 28 days, it orders workers to stop fencing, ground works, utilities installation and any works to the listed buildings.

On Monday Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh challenged defence minister James Cartlidge about plans to use RAF Scampton to house migrants.

He suggested the government had been slow to move forward with similar plans for Catterick Garrison, in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Richmond constituency.

He told the Commons: "The Prime Minister said he was going to lead by example and when it came to the military base at Catterick, he was going to ensure that illegal migrants were housed there.

"We now understand that the generals have said that they don't want a bunch of Afghans and Iraqis next to their squaddies, so nothing is happening with regard to illegal migrants being put there.

"Although the MoD is so determined that their soldiers should not be placed near migrants that they are moving them out of RAF Scampton.

"So when are illegal migrants going to be placed in Catterick as promised by the Prime Minister? I want a date and I want it now."

Mr Cartlidge said: "I visited Catterick on Friday. I discussed precisely this matter with senior members of the Armed forces based at Catterick.

"The characterisation he uses is, I have to tell him, not correct.

"These matters are being considered objectively, and carefully, but that work is ongoing."

The Home Office did not comment on whether it refused access to RAF Scampton. A spokesperson said: "Delivering accommodation on surplus military sites provides cheaper and more orderly, suitable accommodation for those arriving in small boats whilst helping to reduce the use of hotels. 

"We are confident our project, which will house asylum seekers in basic, safe and secure accommodation, meets the planning requirements."

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