Campaigners react with joy and relief as Government axes RAF Scampton asylum centre plan

Campaigners fighting to preserve the former RAF Scampton site have breathed a sigh of relief after the Government officially scrapped the plans to convert it into an asylum centre.

It has been 18 months since the former Conservative administration announced plans to house up to 2,000 asylum seekers at the former airbase, sparking multiple protests and a lengthy legal battle from West Lindsey District Council.

Labour leader Keir Starmer had vowed to scrap the plans if he won the General Election in July so that the site could be released for Scampton Holdings Ltd to undertake its £300 million regeneration project.

Two months on, the Home Office has now officially abandoned the plans, insisting that the site no longer represents value for money.

In a statement, the department highlighted that the site would have cost £122 million by the end of its use in 2027 if it were to open in the autumn as planned. A total of £60 million has already been spent on the site.

The Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle MP said: "Faster asylum processing, increased returns and tighter enforcement of immigration rules will reduce demand for accommodation like Scampton and save millions for the taxpayer as we drive forward work to clear the asylum backlog and strengthen our border security.

"We have also listened to community feedback and concerns about using this site for asylum accommodation."

Responding to the news, Sarah Carter, leader of the Save Our Scampton campaign, said she was 'absolutely over the moon'.

"It's not quite sunk in yet. It's been a long time coming, and we all just want to get back to living a normal life.

"So much has happened in the last 18 months, and we've made some friends who will remain friends for life. But it's been hard and difficult for everyone involved. We can now breathe a sigh of relief."

Rachael Green, part of the Scampton Says No campaign, stated: "It's been hanging over for us a long time. People on here have been so down about it, if they are even half as happy as I am about it, Scampton will be a very happy place to live.

"It's unbelievable the government has wasted so much money on such a poorly thought out scheme and you can only hope that people will be held to account."

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