Full Breakdown
Government Revives Plan to House Asylum Seekers at Former RAF Base in Linton-on-Ouse
7/14/2026, 8:53:39 PM
Proposed Accommodation at Linton-on-Ouse
The Home Office has revived a proposal to convert the former RAF base near the North Yorkshire village of Linton-on-Ouse into accommodation for up to 1,200 asylum seekers. Linton-on-Ouse, a community of roughly 700 residents, could see its population nearly triple if the plan proceeds. The proposal is part of a broader Home Office strategy to replace asylum-hotel accommodation with former Ministry of Defence sites ahead of the next general election. No final decision on selecting Linton-on-Ouse has been announced.
Government Rationale
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told peers that “Military bases are the future for asylum accommodation.” Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said the move is intended to bring the asylum system “back under control” and that the government will not stop until the job is done. The Home Office argues that shifting from hotels to ex-military sites will cut costs; overall asylum-related expenditures have reportedly fallen by nearly £1 billion since the current government took office. As of March 2026, 20,885 asylum seekers (21 % of those in the system) remain in hotels, down from a peak of 56,000 in September 2023.
Local Opposition and Criticism
Opposition groups, local business owners, and elected officials have voiced strong resistance. Professor Olga Matthias, a spokesperson for the Linton Action Group, described Linton as “categorically the wrong place, for so many reasons.” The landlord of the Blacksmith Arms in neighbouring Newton-on-Ouse stated, “It’s fair to say that myself, family, and the entire community are totally against it.” Councillor Malcolm Taylor warned that families who moved to the village for its “peace, tranquillity and quality of life” now face a “hand grenade” being thrown into their community. York and North Yorkshire Labour mayor David Skaith also called the site “simply the wrong place,” while a local resident expressed that the plan would deter visitors and harm the village’s bed-and-breakfast trade.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Military bases are the future for asylum accommodation,” — Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary
- “the asylum system is being brought back under control, and we will not stop until the job is done.” — Alex Norris, Border Security and Asylum Minister
- “Linton is categorically the wrong place, for so many reasons.” — Professor Olga Matthias, Linton Action Group
- “It's fair to say that myself, family, and the entire community are totally against it.” — Landlord, Blacksmith Arms (Newton-on-Ouse)
