Military base asylum plans granted planning approval

Planning permission to house asylum seekers at a former Ministry of Defence (MoD) site has been granted by the government. The Home Office's application to house up to 1,256 men at the site near Bicester, Oxfordshire, was fast-tracked using an Urgent Crown Development application.

The nearby village of Piddington symbolically voted to leave the UK in opposition to the planned site, which has also been legally challenged by campaigners. A Home Office spokesperson said said the planning permission "allows us to continue to progress the use of MOD Bicester" but no final decision on the proposal had been taken.

It also said Housing Secretary Angela Rayner ruled permission should be granted because "national demand for asylum accommodation remains high". The permission allows for demolition of existing buildings, the erection of new modular accommodation, and provisions for health and welfare facilities.