Home Office pulls out of yet more plans to use 'unsuitable' village accommodation in Northamtonshire to house asylum seekers
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Chris Heaton Harris MP has confirmed that the Home Office is no longer considering turning an empty nursing home in Gayton into asylum seeker accommodation.
A number of concerns were raised by a retrospective planning application submitted to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) for a change of use at Westgate House in the village from a residential care home into a large house of multiple occupancy (HMO)/hostel accommodation.
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Hide AdWithin the application it said: “Westgate House has been selected by the private contractor for the provision of government services, SERCO, on behalf of the Home Office, and identified as appropriate accommodation to meet the significant demand for specialist HMO/Hostel accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers whilst their applications are being processed.”
The planning application was met with objections from many residents and Gayton Parish Council last month with concerns over the lack of amenities, transport links and facilities in the area.
On his website the MP said: “The Home Office confirmed to my office yesterday evening (February 13) that they are no longer considering the site at Gayton.
“I made it clear to the Home Office that whilst Gayton is an extremely welcoming community, the rural nature of the village and lack of suitable amenities does not provide an appropriate location to house vulnerable people.”
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Hide AdA Gayton resident said: “This is a sensible response to this planning application. We are such as small village with not even a shop and it just seemed completely inappropriate.”
More can be read about this here and another recent similar planning application made in Northamptonshire.