Statement on Wethersfield airfield site and housing asylum seekers

Updated: Monday 20 March 2023

An update given at our Full Council meeting:

Members will be aware of recent media coverage relating to the potential plans by the Home Office to secure accommodation for asylum seekers at Wethersfield Airfield.

The Council has been approached by the Home Office to discuss the potential role the Wethersfield airfield site could have in housing asylum seekers. There have now been a number of meetings between officers of this Council and senior officials at the Home Office to discuss the issue and to seek clarification on the proposals being considered by the Home Office.

The Home Office has advised the Council that they have not taken any formal decision as to the future use of the site. However, they have confirmed that plans are being considered to provide contingency accommodation for asylum seekers on this site. We understand that if the site is used it would provide accommodation for asylum seekers whilst their claims for asylum are being determined, and not as a detention centre.

The Council has provided the Home Office with our strong view that we believe Wethersfield airfield to be an unsuitable site, given the lack of capacity in local services, its isolated location, the size of the site, and the fact that the scale of the development proposed could have a significant adverse impact upon the local community.

The Council continues to seek further information from the Home Office, and officers are working tirelessly keeping the situation under review.

The Council has sought legal advice and formally written to the Home Office to request full and detailed information on their proposals, together with a request for copies of all relevant documentation. We are awaiting full details from the Home Office at this time.

We are also aware that recently there has been a range of activity taking place on the site. We have written to the Home Office to seek a full explanation and reasoning for this activity.

In the meantime, the Council reserves all legal rights, including the ability to challenge the Home Office on their decision making and the Council’s right to consider, all available legal remedies including its ability to seek an injunction if it becomes necessary and appropriate to do so.

I would like to thank all those that have been working with the Council, including but not limited to the Parish Councils in the immediate vicinity, local community groups and members of the public. We understand how these proposals can give rise to uncertainty, and we will continue to keep residents updated on this matter when we know more via the Council’s communication channels.

Updated: Thursday 16 March 2023

We are continuing to urgently seek clarification from the Home Office regarding their potential plans to house asylum seekers at the RAF Wethersfield airfield site.

We met with them again this week and they emphasised that no decision has yet been taken.

We have sought legal advice and have formally written to the Home Office to request full and detailed information as to the proposals, together with a request for copies of all relevant documentation. We await further details from the Home Office. In the meantime, the Council reserves all legal rights, including the ability to challenge the Home Office on their decision making and the Councils right to consider, all available legal remedies including its ability to seek an injunction.

We have continued to reiterate that we believe Wethersfield airfield to be an unsuitable site, and our concerns that due to the size of the site, the scale of the development proposed could have a significant adverse impact upon the local community.

We will continue to keep residents updated on this matter when we know more.

Updated: Monday 13 March 2023

Residents will be aware of the recent media coverage about potential plans by the Home Office to secure accommodation for asylum seekers at Wethersfield Airfield.

We were recently approached by the Home Office to discuss the potential role the Wethersfield airfield site could have in housing asylum seekers.

Last week we were urgently seeking clarification from the Home Office and met with them on Friday. They emphasised that no decision has yet been taken, however they confirmed that plans to provide contingency accommodation for asylum seekers on this site are under consideration, with several government departments involved. We understand that if the site is used it would be on the basis of providing accommodation for asylum seekers whilst their claims for asylum are being determined and not as a detention centre.

We reiterated our initial view that we believe Wethersfield airfield to be an unsuitable site, given the lack of capacity in local services and its isolated location. We are now seeking legal advice to see if there is anything within our powers to prevent the development going ahead. We await further details, including any potential timescales, from the Home Office.

If the Home Office decide to provide accommodation for asylum seekers at Wethersfield airfield, we will work closely with our partners, including Essex County Council, the NHS Integrated Care Board and Essex Police, to identify any actions required to support any asylum seekers accommodated as well as minimise any negative impacts on local communities.

We will keep residents informed when we know more.