politics
Plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers at former RAF base ‘could be scrapped’ as costs soar into millions
WATCH: Rhiannon Whyte’s mother joins protests at RAF Barnham as site earmarked to house asylum seekers
TL;DR
- Plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers at RAF Barnham may be abandoned due to soaring costs.
- The site requires expensive upgrades to accommodation and sewage disposal systems.
- Environmental hurdles, including protections for rare bird sites, pose obstacles.
- Local politicians and residents have expressed opposition and fears about the impact on the nearby town of Thetford.
- The government has used Urgent Crown Development powers to bypass normal planning processes.
- Past projects like RAF Crowborough and RAF Scampton have incurred substantial costs for housing asylum seekers.