Overview
- Ministers have confirmed officials are actively assessing RAF Linton-on-Ouse as one of several former Ministry of Defence sites for asylum accommodation but say no final decision has been made.
- Local leaders including the York and North Yorkshire mayor, the leader of North Yorkshire Council and the area MP oppose the proposal and want the site used for long-term housing and economic development instead.
- Councillors and emergency-service chiefs say key practical barriers remain, naming electricity supply, sewage treatment, weight-restricted roads, NHS capacity and policing as unresolved issues.
- Reports give inconsistent capacity figures with about 1,200 single men suggested for Linton and up to 3,750 people across three MoD sites, and ministers say on-site healthcare and transport provision are being considered to limit local impact.
- Next steps include detailed on-site viability work, planning and permission routes and likely legal challenges, with North Yorkshire Council expecting any final decision by the end of the year.