Plans to house migrants at base concerns villagers

Concerns have been raised over plans to potentially house asylum seekers at a Ministry of Defence (MoD) site in a rural village.

The government announced Barnham in Suffolk was one of three sites that could house a total of about 3,750 migrants if planning permission was granted.

Labour has pledged to stop placing asylum seekers in hotels - a costly form of accommodation that has become a focal point for anti-migrant protests.

"I think it's quite scary what's happening now - the unknown of who actually is going to be living across from us," said Stephanie Donaldson, 31, who lives opposite RAF Barnham.

"I think it's caused quite a lot of anger and upset within the community," added Donaldson.

"It's not going to be an inviting community - it's unsafe for them [migrants] and it's unsafe for the community already here."

RAF Barnham, or Barnham Camp, is a storage facility rather than an airfield, and it has been used as accommodation for military personnel.

Andrew Smith, Conservative member for Barnham at West Suffolk District Council, said he was angry about the manner of the government's announcement late on Thursday night, and believed residents would be shocked and concerned.

He said rumours about RAF Barnham had been "circulating... several weeks ago", but at the time he had been told there were no plans.

"I think we need cool heads, but what I absolutely do condemn is the way that this has been done."

Asked about the choice of location, he said: "It's not in keeping with a beautiful village in Suffolk."

Smith said the village had a population of just under 600 in the 2021 census. It had a church, village hall and primary school, but no other facilities.

"In principle, there's no problem in using military bases at all - the issue is transparency," he said.

"It's going to depend on a whole range of different factors, but it's going to start with concern and worry stemming from the shock of the actual announcement."

Resident Katrina Belsham, 59, said she was concerned both for villagers and those potentially being housed at RAF Barnham.

She said: "There are very few facilities in this village - my question is how can they possibly be integrated into the community and what are they going to do on a day-to-day basis?

"It's concerns about people's safety, you don't know who these people are.

"A very personal concern is the effect on property value; that will be a deep concern for, I'm sure, a lot of people.

"We're in the dark; it hasn't been transparent."

Suffolk County Council's Reform UK leader, Michael Hadwen, said: "I categorically object to the use of RAF Barnham to house illegal migrants.

"Following my urgent briefing with the Home Office, nothing they said lessened my enormous concerns about the impact of 1,250 men moving into such a small village with a small rural primary school."

He said the council intended to support the community "to demonstrate why this is the wrong place for mass illegal migrant accommodation".

Terry Jermy, Labour MP for neighbouring South West Norfolk, issued a statement and said he was "very concerned" the site was being considered.

"Whilst RAF Barnham is outside of my constituency, I immediately made my concerns known to the Home Office minister and asked that the views of the wider community and other local elected officials are taken on board," he said.

"I am proud that our country is able to provide asylum in relevant circumstances and support people, including providing refuge to those who have put themselves in harm's way to help our troops.

"Maintaining community cohesion is also crucial and the lack of transparency and engagement with this decision does not help those aims."

The Home Office said on Thursday that a further 20 asylum hotels had been shut, reducing the number in use to 170.

Labour's Border Security and Asylum Minister, Alex Norris, said: "We are moving asylum seekers into ex-military sites that are a far cry from the hotels the last government left us with.

"This is a system being brought back under control – and we will not stop until the job is done."

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