Village military base 'simply not suitable' for asylum seekers, says council
West Suffolk councillors of all political colours unanimously approved a motion opposing the plans
Last updated 2nd Jul 2026
A council has said a military base near a village is ‘simply the wrong place’ for asylum seekers amid Government plans.
RAF Barnham, near Thetford, could be one of three military bases – in Bicester and at MoD Linton-on-Ouse – to house up to 3,750 migrants between them.
But at an urgent meeting yesterday, West Suffolk councillors of all political colours unanimously approved a motion opposing the plans.
They heard from several residents, who raised concerns around the lack of consultation, infrastructure, safety and pressure on existing services in the area.
Cllr John Bauer, chairman of Barnham Parish Council, said: “Decisions of this scale should not arrive as a surprise to the communities expected to live with them.”
The meeting opened with a cautious warning about divisive and discriminatory language, following a demonstration outside the base in Bury Road on Sunday, which drew more than 200 people protesting the plans.
It featured common anti-immigration terms in several of the speeches made throughout the protest, including ‘invasion’ and ‘illegal alien’.
Susan Downing, a Bury St Edmunds resident, reminded members many of those applying for asylum are ‘real people who are scared, vulnerable and often exploited’ and whose contribution is often disregarded.
‘Simply the wrong place’
The motion committed the council to urgently engage with the Home Office to set out a case against the use of RAF Barnham as accommodation for asylum seekers.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, Cllr Waterman said he hoped the vote would give him a ‘strong hand’ when speaking with the Government.
“One thing the Government cannot do is just dismiss me as someone standing on a soap box shouting down a megaphone,” he said, “I’m hopeful that they will listen carefully to what we say.”
Cllr Andrew Smith, the Conservative member for Barnham, said a village of under 600 residents, with a primary school, a village hall and a parish church, was ‘simply the wrong place’ for the plans.
“I’m optimistic we can stop the plans,” he said, “we have got a long way to go, but today we have squared the edge, and we have drawn a line in the sand.”
The meeting saw councillors of all political colours have their say in support of opposing the Government, each raising slightly different reasons for doing so.
Cllr Adrian Whittle, from Reform UK, offered his support but asked for assurances ‘residents would not have to change their way of life out of fear’.
His concerns reflect the lack of information around the plans, including the exact number of people included, and how services such as healthcare and transport would be handled.
Cllr Dylan Roques, a newly-elected Green, raised questions around the living conditions on the site, and said the base ‘will not value them, will not value their dignity and will not value their wellbeing’.
Cllr Jon London, a Lib Dem, added: “This is the most egregious example of overdevelopment I have ever seen, and the one with the least level of democratic oversight.”
A Home Office spokesperson said no decision has been made yet: "Discussions over these sites are in an early stage and remain subject to planning permission, feasibility assessments, and due diligence, which will include engagement with local stakeholders and communities.
"No final decisions to proceed will be taken until all necessary arrangements, assessments and approvals are in place and have been properly considered.
"We are working to fairly disperse asylum seekers across the country, working closely with local authorities, and listening to local concerns to reduce the impact on communities."