RAF Scampton full by Christmas, residents told

A former RAF base which is set to house asylum seekers will be "at full capacity" by Christmas, people living nearby say they have been told.

Meetings have been held to discuss the plans for RAF Scampton with local residents from surrounding villages.

Sarah Carter of the Save Our Scampton campaign said one session was told the site would house 2,000 men by year-end.

The Home Office said it understood residents' concerns and would work to "manage the impact" of using the site.

Around 30 people attended the first meeting of the day, despite there being room for an audience of 100, Ms Carter said.

She said the short notice and scheduling of the meetings during school holidays meant many residents were unable to attend.

Ms Carter said the meeting was told that a small number of asylum seekers would move in at first but more would arrive within months.

"They are actually planning to be at full capacity by Christmas, we were expecting it to be a little more staggered," she said.

"They are still working on the buildings, still waiting for assessments on the buildings to assess how long it will take before they can start moving people in."

She said the panel included representatives from the Home Office and contractor Serco.

Attendance was limited to those living in Scampton, Cammeringham, Aisthorpe, Brattleby and North Carlton or in ex-service family accommodation, and Ms Carter described the atmosphere as "very tense".

"They have not actually said anything that we didn't know or that makes people feel any more safe, secure and heard," she said.

Greg Algar, landlord of pub the Dambusters Inn, left the meeting early.

He called the meeting "a sham" and said: "They are only prepared to talk about the accommodation and the fact that it's happening."

The Home Office said the use of "surplus military sites provides cheaper and more orderly, suitable accommodation for those arriving in small boats whilst helping to reduce the use of hotels".

A spokesperson said: "These accommodation sites house asylum seekers in basic, safe and secure accommodation as they await a decision on their claim.

"We understand the concerns of local communities and will work closely with councils and key partners to manage the impact of using these sites, including liaising with local police to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place."

The Scampton site was the base of the famous Red Arrows and was also home to the 617 Dambusters Squadron, whose crews flew the famous May 1943 German dam raids.

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