Council drops attempts to block RAF Scampton asylum centre plan

A council has dropped its attempts to block the conversion of a former RAF base into a reception centre for asylum seekers.

West Lindsey District Council announced it had withdrawn an enforcementnotice at RAF Scampton after the Home Office confirmed it had laid a Special Development Order (SDO) in Parliament.

The order grants temporary planning permission for the site to be used for asylum accommodation, meaning the council has no grounds to pursue enforcement action.

Council leader Trevor Young said: "The council has been clear from the outset that theuse of an SDO excludes the voice of our communities from being heard.

"We know this is incredibly important for our communities and we are committed to continuing to do all we can to represent their views and to protect the £300million investment plan, which we still believe is the right way forward."

Sally Grindrod-Smith, director of planning, said: "It is no longer expedient for the Council to continue with its current enforcement action.

"There are a significant number of conditions associated with the SDO, which the Home Office has to attend to before the site can go live.

"We as a council will be monitoring closely these conditions and seeking assurance from the Government of its compliance.”

The Home Office had already confirmed it was reducing the number of people to be on site from 2,000 to 800 with a caveat to increase the number of people by 300, if there is a higher-than-expected demand for spaces.

Ms Grindrod-Smith added: “The council continues to work hard to use the tools at our disposal to protect our communities and the long-term plans for investment into former RAF Scampton. This is a rapidly changing position and further updates will be provided indue course.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.