Residents of Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire are asking whether they will have to move home as a former military base prepares to house 1,250 asylum seekers, with some already planning to leave.
Close proximity to housing
A reporter from the Daily Express counted 20 steps from the curb next to a family home to the fence of the migrant camp. Everyone spoken to raised the same concern, with some admitting they were getting out now, while others, particularly homeowners, hoped the Home Office plan could be stopped because they did not believe they could sell their properties.
The base's perimeter is exposed, with a military accommodation block overlooking White Rose Close, allowing occupants to see into homes and gardens. A short walk from the camp's gates leads directly into a housing estate of three- and four-bedroom detached houses, and a children's playground backs onto the base, separated only by a small see-through fence.
Empty properties and community concerns
Turning left from the camp's gates reveals a row of empty houses with no curtains and no sign of life, marked only by "to let" signs. The number of empty properties in the village is growing, a point campaigners were keen to highlight.
One neighbour who grew up in the village said that as a teenager the only thing to do was go to the shop, but that shop has now gone. Many villagers believe migrants will gravitate towards the children's playground because it is all the village has.
Impact on the community
Despite the insistence of Shabana Mahmood that large sites are the solution to the asylum accommodation crisis, the only large impact is on the village community itself. Spending tens or potentially hundreds of millions on converting the former military base barely makes a dent in the overall number receiving taxpayer-funded support, with tens of thousands still in dispersal accommodation and hotels.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said residents "will be outnumbered two to one". Campaigners noted that if large sites are the solution, 74 would be needed, but there are not 74 MoD sites available, raising questions about whether office blocks or abandoned warehouses would be used instead.
The reporter concluded that Linton-on-Ouse, like Piddington and Barnham, is on the frontline of the asylum accommodation crisis, with communities being gutted and livelihoods ruined.
