What’s Happening
The Government wants to transform MOD Bicester Site A into an asylum accommodation centre.
The Home Office is proposing to accommodate up to 1,256 people at MOD Bicester Site A, a former military facility in rural Oxfordshire.
The development would operate for at least ten years and is being pursued through the Government’s Urgent Crown Development planning process.
The scale, location and nature of the proposal have raised significant concerns among surrounding communities.
What’s happening in numbers
£1.2 Billion
Estimated total cost of the proposal
The campaign’s working estimate of the potential overall expenditure.
1,256 Men
People accommodated at any one time
10+ Years
Proposed duration of the development
50,000 Men
Potential residents passing through over the initial 10 year period
Illustrative projection based on full occupancy and an assumed 90-day average stay.
Where Is MOD Bicester Site A?
A substantial development in the Oxfordshire countryside.
MOD Bicester Site A is situated between Piddington and Upper Arncott, southeast of Bicester.
Although the site is no longer used for its former military storage operations, it sits within an area that continues to support active military establishments, training facilities and military families.
The surrounding landscape includes rural communities, agricultural land, sensitive habitats and important local infrastructure.
Understanding the location is essential to understanding the concerns surrounding the proposal.
What Would the Development Include?
Much more than simply converting existing buildings.
The Government’s proposal involves creating a substantial accommodation facility with the infrastructure and services required to support its operation.
The development would include accommodation and associated facilities, alongside supporting infrastructure for utilities, access, security and daily operations.
ACCOMMODATION
Facilities intended to accommodate up to 1,256 people.
SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
Energy, water, wastewater and other services required to operate the development.
SECURITY & OPERATIONS
Arrangements for managing and operating the accommodation facility.
TRANSPORT & ACCESS
Vehicle access, deliveries, staff movements and other transport requirements.
Who is behind the proposal?
The Home Office
The Government department proposing the asylum accommodation development.
The Ministry of Defence
The department responsible for the military estate, including the wider MOD Bicester facilities.
The Planning Authority
The relevant decision-making body considering the Urgent Crown Development application.
Local Authorities
Cherwell District Council and other local authorities involved in reviewing or responding to the proposal.
How did we get here?
2025 - Initial proposals
The Government begins exploring the use of MOD Bicester for asylum accommodation.
2026 - Planning application
The Government progresses proposals through the Urgent Crown Development process.
26 August 2026 - Environmental screening decision
The Government concludes that a full Environmental Impact Assessment is unnecessary.
October 2026 - High Court challenge
Wrong Plan Wrong Site launches a legal challenge concerning that environmental screening decision.
The Planning Process
What Happens Next?
The Government is seeking permission to develop MOD Bicester Site A through the Urgent Crown Development planning process.
This is a special procedure for certain Government developments considered to be of national importance and urgency. While the process differs from a conventional local planning application, the proposal must still be considered against the relevant planning requirements.
Here are three important things to understand about the process.
WHAT IS URGENT CROWN DEVELOPMENT?
Urgent Crown Development is a special planning route that allows qualifying Government proposals to be considered at a national level, rather than determined through the usual local planning process.
It is intended for developments where the Government considers there is a compelling need for urgency.
WHO MAKES THE DECISION?
The application is considered through a process administered by the Planning Inspectorate, with the final decision made by the Secretary of State responsible for planning.
Local authorities, statutory consultees and members of the public can provide representations, which form part of the consideration of the proposal.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT POSITION?
The MOD Bicester Site A proposal is being considered through the Urgent Crown Development process.
On 26 August 2026, the Government concluded that a full Environmental Impact Assessment was unnecessary. Wrong Plan Wrong Site has since launched a High Court legal challenge concerning the lawfulness of that decision.
The legal challenge relates to the environmental screening decision and is separate from the determination of the planning application.
Proper Planning. Proper Scrutiny.
Whatever planning route is used, a development of this scale must be supported by appropriate evidence, transparent decision-making and proper consideration of its potential impacts.
For more information about our concerns regarding the planning process, environmental assessments and supporting evidence, visit our Planning Concerns page.
Help Us Challenge the Proposal.
Wrong Plan Wrong Site is a community-led campaign calling for greater transparency, accountability and proper scrutiny of the MOD Bicester Site A proposal.
Help us make sure the Government answers the questions that matter.