Home Office vows to engage with residents on RAF Scampton plans

The Home Office wants to house up to 2,000 asylum seekers at the former home of the Dambusters, and now they are hosting four community engagement events at the Lincolnshire Showground next Thursday (August 31).

Attendance is limited to 100 people per session for those living in either the former service family accommodation, or nearby villages of Scampton, Aisthorpe, Brattleby, Cammeringham, and North Carlton.

A message via the event’s private ticket link states: “We would like to invite local residents to a community engagement event aimed at facilitating an informed dialogue around the development of the site at Scampton to be used for asylum accommodation.

“We fully appreciate the short notice for this event, however, given time constraints and availability of venues and speakers, we know how important it is that this event takes place, and we want to ensure the invite is there for your local MP to be able to attend.

“The event will provide you, the local community, with an opportunity to gain insight into the Home Office’s proposals, engage in thoughtful discussions and provide reassurances to your concerns.”

The move comes after a confidential meeting held last Thursday, which was attended by the likes of Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh, various parish councils, and members of Save Our Scampton.

During this meeting, a Home Office representative provided insights into its operational strategy for the asylum centre.

Sarah Carter, head of the Save Our Scampton campaign, was among those present at last week’s meeting. She feels that the discussion’s timing couldn’t have been more appropriate.

In recent days, locals have reported seeing portable buildings, believed to be for asylum seekers, near the village of Hemswell, fueling speculation that they’re intended for Scampton.

At the meeting, Mrs Carter recounted how the Home Office representative acknowledged the balancing act involved, as conditions in the camp should not be better than the ones for local residents.

“One of the things that pricked my ears up was when they said they need to make it fair with what they supply to the migrants,” she said.

“He said they need to take care of their mental and physical health, but they cannot be better catered for than local residents.”

It was also revealed that new security fencing is being put up all around the base to prevent people from being able to see inside.

Plans for the bus schedules were also discussed, with a rotating timetable being suggested, taking asylum seekers to different towns each time.

Despite these details and assurances, Mrs Carter remains optimistic in West Lindsey District Council’s judicial review potentially stalling the Home Office project.

While a date for the High Court hearing remains undecided, it’s anticipated to be scheduled for this autumn.

On the topic of portable buildings being moved onto the site, she said: “We knew this was going to happen. It’s still not a done deal.”

Scampton Councillor Roger Patterson (Conservative), who also attended last week’s meeting, described the Home Office’s efforts at community engagement as merely a “box-ticking exercise”.

Nonetheless, he recognised that the meeting wasn’t entirely fruitless.

The Tory councillor acknowledged that the Home Office representative indicated an intent to refurbish Hangar 3 and to preserve the grave of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s black Labrador.

“They have given a cast iron guarantee that the dog’s grave is going to be looked after,” said Councillor Patterson.

There was also an expressed intent to engage in discussions with Scampton Holdings Ltd, aiming for a potential compromise that could preserve its £300 million private investment deal.

He continued: “Hopefully, this means we can get this £300 million development deal off the ground, this matters more to me than whether we have immigrants on the base or not.

“The Home Office seems to have softened its position now, so it gives me some hope that our future might not be as bleak as we once thought.”

Councillor Patterson also remains hopeful that the council’s forthcoming judicial review could prevent the asylum centre from going ahead. Yet, he pragmatically added: “Sometimes in life, you have to compromise and make the best out of a bad situation.”

Hamish Falconer, Lincoln’s Labour candidate for the upcoming General Election, expressed deep concerns over the Home Office’s handling of RAF Scampton.

Falconer, who has been working closely with Scampton Holdings Ltd over the past few months, described the Home Office’s actions as ‘desperate.’

“They are rushing a plan which is falling apart at the seams,” he said. “They are putting shipping containers for 50 people on the base which will scare investors off our £300 million deal.”

Upon the plans’ leak in Parliament last March, Falconer spearheaded an online petition showcasing widespread opposition. The petition has since surpassed 75,000 signatures.

Among these signatories are at least 500 Conservatives who have openly said they will never cast their vote for the Tory party again.

“I think they are desperate and I will be taking the petition down to the Home Office in a matter of weeks,” Hamish continued.

“Everyone on the site knows how damaging this proposal is.”