One of the sites, the disused RAF Scampton, was the former home of the Red Arrows aerobatics display team and the Dambusters – the squadron that carried out one of the Second World War’s most famous air raids.
All challenges against government plans to use former RAF bases to house asylum seekers have been dismissed at the High Court.
West Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire, claimed the government’s plans to use the disused RAF Scampton airfield – the former home of the Dambusters – were unlawful.
Braintree District Council, along with a private resident, made similar complaints about plans for land that once formed part of another base, RAF Wethersfield, in Essex.
High Court judge, Mrs Justice Thornton, dismissed the three claims for a judicial review.
Sir Edward Leigh, the MP for Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, said he was “disappointed by the result.”
“But I understand West Lindsey intends to appeal and has solid grounds for doing so. They have my full support and the stop notices remain in place,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, the leader of Braintree District Council, Graham Butland, said the authority was “disappointed” by the judgment.
“We have worked since March to make a strong case to the court that the Home Office acted unlawfully when making the decision to use RAF Wethersfield to house asylum seekers,” he said.
“We are of course disappointed with this outcome after months of work to present our case and evidence as we still believe it isn’t an appropriate site for a development of this scale given its remote location and the lack of capacity in local services.”
At a previous hearing at the High Court, lawyers representing the councils complained about ministers’ use of planning rules known as “permitted development rights” – which allow for the legal use of a piece of land to be changed without permission.
They argued ministers could not rely on these rights for the plans because there was no “emergency”.
Lawyers also raised concerns about migrants being housed for longer than an initially envisaged 12 month period.
Home Office ministers and Levelling Up, Housing and Communities ministers contested the claims.
RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, is the former home of the Red Arrows aerobatics display team and the Dambusters – the squadron that carried out one of the Second World War’s most famous air raids.
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Nineteen Lancaster bombers, crewed by 133 airmen, took part in the raid – named Operation Chastise – on the night of 16-17 May 1943.
Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the raid targeted three dams in the industrialised Ruhr region of Germany using the “bouncing bomb” invented by Barnes Wallis.
They successfully breached the Mohne and Eder dams, and the Sorpe was damaged.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
