A tiny Oxfordshire village is facing the extraordinary prospect of 1,250 adult male migrants being housed on its doorstep, with residents accusing the Government of imposing the scheme on them without proper consultation.
Piddington, a picturesque village of around 350 residents, has become the latest flashpoint in the government's drive to move asylum seekers out of hotels and into former military sites. The proposed accommodation would be at Site A of the former Bicester Garrison, between Piddington and Upper Arncott. The site is close to the village's playing field and Jubilee Reserve. The scale of the proposal has stunned residents: 1,250 people would be accommodated at a site beside a community of only around 350.
The local MP, Calum Miller, has described the location as unsuitable, pointing out in Parliament that the site is more than two miles from the nearest shop and has no pavement alongside the B road. "Site A at MOD Bicester sits adjacent to a village with only 370 residents," he said. "It is simply not a suitable place in which to locate 1,250 men seeking asylum... to my constituents, this feels like a decision taken in secret in Whitehall and imposed on Bicester, with local people treated as an afterthought."
In July, Piddington residents voted overwhelmingly to hold a symbolic referendum on leaving the United Kingdom, in protest against the asylum accommodation plan. The vote was held on July 4 with 96 per cent backing the proposal to hold a referendum. The vote would have no legal effect, but it has become a highly visible protest against the Government's plans. "It's about representation. We have had no input into the proposal. We have been asking questions, and nothing has come back," said Tim McNally, chairman of Piddington Parish Council.
Piddington has no shop, café or pub. It has a church and village hall, with occasional community events, and residents describe a quiet rural life where children can walk around the village and people leave their doors open. The Times reported this week that many women in the village said they would no longer feel comfortable walking alone at night if the centre opened. Karen Joy, 73, who has lived in Piddington with her husband Derek, said: "I think we need to get a better gate. He won't let me get a dog but I'm thinking I will. I'm not a young lady any more, I'm scared really. It breaks my heart. We live here because we want this peace, this safety, this community."
"I understand that when you get 1,250 men, boys - wherever they're from - they're going to cause trouble," Derek added. "I'm worried they will take advantage of women ... and people's properties. I'm 86, if a bloke comes in now, I can't do anything about it." The Government says the facility would be self-contained, with security measures including CCTV and controlled access, but residents would be permitted to leave the site. But Prime Minister Andy Burnham has doubled down on the issue, saying, "I do believe all parts of the country need to work, to play their part [in taking asylum seekers]."
