29 March 2023
RAF Scampton is to be turned into a temporary centre for asylum seekers, the government confirmed today, Wednesday 29 March.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick made the announcement in the House of Commons. He confirmed that RAF Wethersfield in Essex and RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire will house migrants, as will a separate site on private land in Bexhill, East Sussex.
Refugees will be housed in portacabins while they await processing.
Latest update here: https://flyer.co.uk/council-takes-legal-action-against-home-office-over-scampton/
Senior Conservative Sir Edward Leigh responded by saying an injunction will be sought against the “thoroughly bad decision”.
Sir Edward, a former minister who represents Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, said using the former home of the Dambusters RAF squadron could jeopardise a £300 million regeneration project.
Addressing Mr Jenrick, the MP said: “I can inform him that the moment this is confirmed the local authority in West Lindsey will issue an immediate judicial review and injunction against this thoroughly bad decision which is not based on good governance but the politics of trying to do something.”
West Lindsey District Council has put measures in place to take necessary legal action against the Home Office, as it remains committed to protecting, preserving and enhancing RAF Scampton for the long-term sustainable benefit of its communities.https://t.co/02oYDgaNQZ pic.twitter.com/7lTprBQKcd
— West Lindsey DC (@WestLindseyDC) March 29, 2023
Monday, 27 March: There’s another twist in the battle to save RAF Scampton as an active airfield and heritage centre – the local council has applied to Historic England to list the former Officers’ Mess building.
West Lindsey District Council (WLDC) says ‘enough is enough’ as it moves to list a significant heritage asset as it considers all legal options to protect the future of RAF Scampton.
The move follows confirmation from the Home Office that it is assessing a number of sites, including Scampton, for their suitability to accommodate asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, a petition calling on the government to abandon the asylum proposal and allow the local plan to go ahead has reached nearly 47,000 signatures as of Monday morning. If it reaches 50,000 signatures it will become one of the most signed petitions.
WLDC said rapidly deteriorating buildings prompted the local planning authority to safeguard the historic building. Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey District Council, Sally Grindrod-Smith, expressed concerns following a site visit at RAF Scampton this week.
She said, “The Council is very concerned about the future of the former Officers’ Mess. The building appears to be deteriorating rapidly and without due care and attention this important historic feature of the site could be lost forever. That is why the Council has taken decisive action and made an application to Historic England to seek listed building status.”
The former Officers’ Mess at Scampton is deteriorating rapidly, said the local council
The former Officers’ Mess, built in late 1936 is a type B mess. The original features, character and fabric of the building are of a distinct quality and are largely intact, playing a key role in telling the important stories of the site’s past.
In its heyday, the building was used for accommodating officers as well as hosting formal functions. In 1943 HM The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited to commend the crews in support of 617 Squadron after the Dambusters raid.
See also: Scampton heritage plan in tatters after asylum news
On Monday 27 March, Sir Edward Leigh MP, Conservative MP for Gainsborough met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to inform him of the flood of criticism his Government faces in its pursuit of housing 1,500 migrants on the historic site of RAF Scampton.
Hand-delivered by Sir Edward Leigh MP, the Prime Minister received a letter from Scampton Holdings Limited outlining a 12-point brief of key deliverables and proposed plans for RAF Scampton. This open letter was supported by multiple letters of support from UK and international blue-chip stakeholders and leading academic institutions, outlining key tenets of RAF Scampton’s West Lindsey District Council approved development plans for the Prime Minister and Home Offices’ consideration.
Amongst the 12 points discussed by Sir Edward Leigh MP and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were;
If the Home Office pushes ahead with its intent of housing asylum seekers at the site in spite of West Lindsey District Council’s appointment of Scampton Holdings Ltd, plans for the development of a Lincolnshire-based hub for Aerospace, Technology, Education and Heritage worth £300 million may be scuppered.
Following the briefing, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reassured Sir Edward Leigh MP that, “No decision had been taken yet”.
