Community voices

Arncott has the closest shop and pub to the site, at just one mile away. It is currently unknown how much of an attraction this will be, but it has the potential to get very busy. My greatest concern is integration. The government should heavily focus on educating asylum seekers on the importance of local culture. Residents will likely witness behaviours considered socially unacceptable and must be confident in politely challenging these. How asylum seekers respond to these challenges will be key. Intimidation, theft, damage, violence, or worse must be investigated thoroughly and resolved swiftly. Any less risks a horrific impact on the local area in social, economic, and political terms.

Alan, resident of Arncott

There are so many aspects to this asylum centre of great concern 1. Personal safety especially for vulnerable groups 2. Overstretched police services 3. Damage to property and businesses 4. Loss of national identity 5. Different religion 6. Different standards and values 7. Problems with communication 8. Economic loss to country 9. Build up of resentment 10. This is so overwhelming to us locals. Have the government got any idea what they have done to us in Bicester and surrounding area. This could potentially destroy us and our community. It's completely unacceptable

katharine

My concern is the impact this proposal could have on communities that are already under pressure but have worked hard to remain connected and integrated. Our infrastructure and public services are already stretched, and as a father of girls I also think it is reasonable to consider how significant cultural differences may affect integration, safeguarding and the way people experience public spaces. Decisions of this scale must consider local capacity, community cohesion and our way of life. For me, this is not about rejecting people; it is about protecting the conditions that allow communities to live alongside one another safely, respectfully and successfully.

Tom, Bicester Resident and Father

I’ve got two young boys, and my biggest concern is how this proposal could change the way we feel about letting them grow up independently in Bicester. Things like walking to school, going to the park or meeting friends are all part of childhood, and I don’t want fear or uncertainty to take those freedoms away from them. I just want to feel confident that the place we’re raising our children remains safe and well supported.

Sara, Mum and local resident

The plans for this site hugely concern me. I've lived in Bicester for over 12 years now, but have always lived locally. My wife and I have raised our children here, we're completely embedded in the community. But I'm really struggling with the thought of my children losing their freedoms, like no longer being able to walk to or from school. And I fear for my wife's safety walking home from the train station after work in the dark. If this plan goes ahead I think we will be leaving Bicester.

Mark, husband and dad of 2

I want my concerns to be taken seriously without being labelled or dismissed. I care about Bicester, I care about the people who live here and I also think asylum seekers deserve accommodation that is appropriate and connected to the services they need. I simply don’t believe this site achieves either of those things.

Michael, local resident and grandfather

I think most people understand that the Government has difficult decisions to make, but difficult decisions still need to be good decisions. Putting such a large number of people on an isolated site and then relying heavily on surrounding communities and services doesn’t feel like a sustainable solution.

Claire, Bicester resident of 11 years

I regularly walk and cycle through the countryside around this area and I’m concerned about the long-term impact of such a large development on what is still a very rural location. Once sites like this are developed and infrastructure is put in, those changes can be extremely difficult to reverse.

Tom, local cyclist and countryside user

What frustrates me is the lack of certainty. People want straightforward answers about transport, policing, healthcare, security and how the site will operate day to day. Until those questions are properly answered, I don’t see how anyone can reasonably say the proposal has been fully thought through.

Emma, Bicester resident and mum of two

I’m concerned about what this could mean for the villages around the site as well as Bicester itself. These are relatively small communities with limited transport and amenities. A proposal of this scale could change the character of the area enormously, yet many residents still feel they haven’t been properly listened to.

Paul, resident of a nearby village

For me this isn’t about politics. It’s about whether this is genuinely a sensible place for a facility of this size. A remote former military site, away from shops, services and good public transport, just doesn’t seem like the right answer for the people living there or the communities surrounding it.

Rachel, mum and NHS worker

I’ve lived around Bicester most of my life and I’ve watched the town grow enormously. Schools, doctors, dentists and roads are already under pressure. Before adding another major demand on local infrastructure, I think the Government needs to explain very clearly how those services will cope.

David, Bicester resident

I live close to the site and what worries me most is how quickly all of this seems to be happening. Something that could have a major impact on the town deserves proper scrutiny, proper consultation and proper answers. Local people shouldn’t feel like decisions are simply being imposed on them.

Helen, Launton resident

My biggest concern is the sheer scale of the proposal. More than a thousand people is a huge number to place in one location, particularly somewhere with very little infrastructure around it. I don’t think enough thought has been given to how local services are supposed to absorb that.

James, local business owner and father of two

I’m not against helping people who genuinely need support, but I just can’t understand why this particular site has been chosen. It’s isolated, the transport links are poor and the surrounding roads already struggle at busy times. It feels like a decision made on a map rather than by anyone who actually knows the area.

Sarah, Bicester resident of 18 years