The chairman of Piddington Parish Council has announced that the village will mount a legal challenge against the government's decision to convert a former military site near Bicester into accommodation for up to 1,256 detained asylum seekers. The plans, approved by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, have sparked fierce opposition from local residents.
Fast-Tracked Approval Raises Concerns
The development at the MoD Bicester site in Oxfordshire was given the green light after the Home Office used a fast-track route for projects considered urgently needed and of national importance. Opponents now have six weeks to challenge the decision. Parish council chairman Tim McNally told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that ministers should "absolutely" expect a legal challenge.
McNally also indicated that the village might invoke the new Hillsborough Law, which, once passed, would impose a legally enforceable duty of candour on public officials and authorities during investigations and inquiries. He drew a parallel between the government's handling of the situation and recent discussions about violence and sexual violence towards women in the media industry. "The reality is that this is exactly what the government is doing to us here," he said.
Community Response and Government Engagement
Asked how the village would respond, McNally said: "There's going to be many actions, you will see. We will disclose that as we move forward. Today is a day of reflection, and we'll work out where we plan to go from this point. But I will say, the Hillsborough Law is there for a reason, and we're going to apply it."
Defence minister Luke Pollard told LBC that the government would continue to engage with the community. "It's pretty obvious that there's a strong sense of feeling from the community around Bicester, especially in Piddington," he said. "The Home Office continues to engage with those. There's still a few more stages to go here, so it's not yet fully locked in and delivered, so that we can understand where the concerns are, so they can be mitigated."
Pollard acknowledged that any change for the people around MoD Bicester would be a concern, stressing the importance of ongoing dialogue.
Home Office Defends Plans
A Home Office spokesperson said on Thursday: "Planning permission allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester. However, a final decision to proceed is yet to be taken. The Government is working on a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, with over £1bn saved in costs since the election. This includes closing all asylum hotels and moving to alternative accommodation, including former military sites. These are designed to be self-contained, with 24/7 security and CCTV, to minimise the impact on the local community."
The controversy has deep roots in the community. In September, Piddington symbolically voted to leave the UK over the planned use for the site, and last month the group Wrong Plan Wrong Site appealed for a judicial review into the proposals. The parish council's threat of legal action adds another layer to the growing dispute between local residents and the government.
As the deadline for challenges approaches, all eyes are on Piddington and whether the village will follow through on its promise to take the fight to the courts.
