Wrong Plan. Wrong Site. has responded to recent comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham about the distribution of asylum accommodation across the country.
The Prime Minister has argued that wealthier areas should play a greater role and that responsibility for accommodating asylum seekers should be distributed more fairly.
Wrong Plan. Wrong Site. recognises the Government’s desire to address the way asylum accommodation is distributed nationally.
However, the campaign believes that fairness cannot be determined by wealth alone.
It must also take into account the scale of individual proposals, the capacity of local infrastructure and services, and whether a particular location is suitable for the number of people being proposed.
A question of proportionality
The current proposal would see approximately 1,250 people accommodated at MOD Bicester Site A.
The communities immediately surrounding the site are comparatively small, with the nearest village having fewer than 400 residents.
Wrong Plan. Wrong Site. believes that placing a population larger than the neighbouring communities themselves at a single rural location raises serious questions about proportionality and local capacity.
The proposal could place additional pressure on transport, healthcare, policing, utilities, infrastructure and other local services.
The campaign believes the perceived prosperity of Oxfordshire should not be used as a substitute for proper assessment of those practical issues.
“We are not asking for the problem to be moved somewhere else”
Wrong Plan. Wrong Site. is not calling for asylum accommodation simply to be transferred from one community to another.
Our position remains focused on the scale, location and suitability of MOD Bicester Site A.
We are asking for Government policy to be proportionate, evidence-led and appropriate to the communities affected.
As our press statement says:
“If fairness is the Government’s argument, fairness must work both ways.”
The campaign continues to call for clear evidence, proper planning and meaningful consultation before any final decision is taken.
Wrong Plan. Wrong Site. is a community-led, volunteer and non-political campaign representing residents from Bicester and the surrounding villages. Our campaign is about the proposal, the process and the suitability of the site – not the individuals who may be accommodated there.
