Home Secretary Intervenes to Halt Asylum Seeker Move
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has directly intervened to stop asylum seekers being moved into a newbuild housing estate in Stoke Heath, Shropshire, after a furious backlash from residents. The Home Office confirmed that no asylum seekers remain on the Dutton Close estate, and that new homes should never house asylum seekers.
The U-turn came after a crunch meeting on Thursday night where around 100 locals met with their Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, who assured them that the Home Office had told him the plans were 'suspended'. A Pakistani family-of-six who had been moved from Greater Manchester to the estate have now been moved out, leaving only rotting rubbish and scattered furniture.
Plans for 'Migrant Street' Sparked Outrage
The Home Office had planned to house between 83 and 121 asylum seekers in 21 newbuild homes on the Dutton Close estate, originally built for workers at the nearby Category C prison HMP Stoke Heath. The land, once a football pitch and clubhouse, was bought by property developers five years ago and later purchased by Government contractor Serco. Residents were astonished when the homes, originally earmarked as social housing, were turned over to asylum seekers.
Locals argued the village was too isolated for asylum seekers, with the nearest shop four miles away and the nearest bus stop a half-hour walk. Parish Councillor Jason Scott noted that a bus stop at the entrance to the close has not had a bus service for at least two or three years.
Residents Express Relief and Ongoing Concerns
Despite the reprieve, local homeowner Helen Nelson, 59, said she worried the Home Office response was just 'smoke and mirrors'. She has lived on the estate for four years with her husband Dave and said trying to get answers from the Government, Serco, and the local council had been an uphill struggle. 'There is no honesty or transparency as far as this issue is concerned and we end up with a millstone around our neck with our property that now just won't sell because of the proposals,' she said.
Helen added: 'I know people have had valuers around and they have been told no one would buy their homes if this went ahead. I read somewhere that we as a nation have a duty of care for these people claiming asylum, but who looks after the duty of care towards ourselves?'
Veteran's Wife Questions Housing Support
Samantha Murphy, 36, has been on the estate with her husband and two children for two years. Her husband served in the Royal Irish Regiment and was medically discharged after 12 years, but received no help with housing. 'That's the frustrating thing about the proposal to house the asylum seekers here,' she said. 'He was medically discharged but had no help from anyone with housing, but then these people can come in and get offered a house straight away after my husband has just done 12 years serving his country.'
Samantha saw the Home Office announcement as 'positive' but said local residents would still 'keep fighting'.
Long-Term Residents Voice Fears
Ann Harrhy, 82, moved to the estate 58 years ago when her husband got a job at HMP Stoke Heath. 'What's happening in this country is disgusting, the British people are being walked all over, we seem to have no rights. To move 120 plus people into those houses would have been ridiculous,' she said. 'If the Government moved these asylum seekers here, I would be a prisoner in my own home because there is no way I would go outside.'
Mum-of-five Trudy Supersad, 65, has lived on the estate for 30 years. She said: 'We thought this would be affordable housing for local people. This is a lovely area, there's peace and quiet and that's what everyone loves about it. The next thing we were told is that the immigrants would be coming in. It's just not safe, there's nothing for them to do around here and I was worried for the safety of very young children who come play on the playground by these houses.'
David Cooper, 60, and his wife Joanne, 54, moved from Birmingham nine months ago. David said: 'I was gobsmacked when I first heard they were going to move migrants here. I moved here from Birmingham for a quieter life. You don't know who these people are, if they broke into the country they are illegal straight away. It seems like migrants are top of the food chain when we have had to struggle for everything.'
Home Office Statement
A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: 'New homes should never house asylum seekers. The Home Secretary has directly intervened to stop migrants being moved into the Stoke Heath development and no asylum seekers remain on site. Earlier this year, the Home Secretary introduced robust processes to ensure new-build sites can never be considered again.'
