RAF Scampton: Home Office ignoring asylum camp stop notice, council says

The government is ignoring instructions to halt work on converting a former RAF base into an asylum centre, a council has said.

West Lindsey District Council (WLDC) served the Home Office with a stop notice on 22 September, ordering it to cease all works at RAF Scampton.

However, the local authority said work had continued at the site, despite the Home Office saying it was complying.

The Home Office refused to confirm or deny to the BBC if work was continuing.

In a statement, WLDC said the Home Office had written to the authority on Tuesday confirming work had stopped.

But the council added: "Enforcement officers have continued to visit and observe from the perimeter of the site daily, and intelligence provided by the local community remains key to the council's oversight of activity.

"Unfortunately, despite written assurances to the contrary, it is clear activity persists at pace on site."

In response to the council's allegations, the Home Office told the BBC it was confident its project met planning requirements and it was aware WLDC had issued a notice.

It added it was "carefully considering the implications" of this notice and "it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

The BBC again invited the Home Office to confirm or deny claims work was continuing but a spokeswoman said there was no further comment.

The stop notice and enforcement notice prevents, without planning permission, making "a material change of use" of the site to accommodate asylum seekers.

It also prohibits "operational development", such as the installation of portable buildings and groundworks, to accommodate asylum seekers.

The Home Office, as part of the notice, was also required to restore the site to its original condition.

WLDC said the Home Office had not challenged the notice or explained why it was continuing work at the site.

It added the Home Office was also continuing "to refuse the council access to the site to undertake routine enforcement monitoring".

The council said the stop notice remained in place, insisting until it was lifted "RAF Scampton cannot lawfully be used as accommodation for asylum seekers".

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

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