Overview
- The Home Office identified three former Ministry of Defence sites last month as possible sites to replace asylum hotels, with RAF Barnham proposed to hold about 1,250 people as part of a roughly 3,750‑place programme.
- West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County leaders have formally objected to the Barnham plan and called for urgent clarity from ministers over consultation, security and local impact.
- Around 500 people gathered at the base gates on Sunday to protest the plan, and residents have since maintained a visible presence outside the camp while further demonstrations are planned.
- Locals and councillors point to specific problems at the site, including prior assessments noting ground contamination, the village’s lack of shops and transport, and the potential to triple Barnham’s population of about 580 people.
- No planning permission has been granted and ministers say assessments remain outstanding, but councils worry the government could use special planning powers, a prospect likely to trigger legal challenges and prolong the dispute.