Dozens of residents in a picturesque North Yorkshire village are threatening to 'sell up and move' amid fears that more than 1,000 asylum seekers could soon be housed at a former RAF base on their doorstep.
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seekers → threaten → doorstep
Homeowners in Linton-on-Ouse say they face potentially huge losses on their properties if plans to accommodate up to 1,200 single male asylum seekers at the former military site go ahead.
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plans → say → site
Some residents have already put their homes on the market, despite accepting they could lose as much as 20 per cent of their value.
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they → put → value
Others say properties on newly built estates are standing empty as prospective tenants are deterred by the prospect of an asylum centre nearby.
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tenants → say → centre
The village, which has a population of around 700, has no GP or police station and residents fear the proposed centre could leave them outnumbered by asylum seekers by almost two to one.
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centre → have → one
The Government is still assessing whether the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site is suitable and no final decision has been made.
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decision → assess → Ouse
Any proposal would require the necessary planning permissions and approvals.
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proposal → require → permissions
But the uncertainty is already having an impact, according to villagers and campaigners.
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uncertainty → have → villagers
Data gathered by the Linton-on-Ouse Action Group from 404 residents found that 60 per cent of renters surveyed said they were 'very likely' to leave if the plans were approved.
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plans → gather → renters
Homeowners in Linton-on-Ouse say they face potentially huge losses on their properties if plans to accommodate up to 1,200 single male asylum seekers at the former military site go ahead
Alice Sizer, 44, says she would leave if the plans go ahead and expects the move could cost her family £100,000
Elderly resident Michael Thompson, 84, lives on the same street with his daughter and her partner.
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Thompson → say → daughter
A sign outside his home reads: 'Asylum Centre: Still the Wrong Place, Wrong Plan'
And around 35 newly renovated former MOD homes across two new-build estates are currently vacant, according to residents.
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homes → read → residents
Two other estates owned by property developer Annington have also been described by homeowners as a 'revolving door', with people moving in and out following the announcement.
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people → own → announcement
Campaigners fear that if more residents leave, the once-populated RAF community could become a 'ghost town' again.
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community → fear → ?
The prospect has already prompted families to consider taking substantial financial hits to get out.
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prospect → prompt → hits
Alice Sizer, 44, moved into her three-bedroom home on Linton Meadows with her husband Ian, 44, and their five-year-old daughter in 2023.
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Sizer → move → 2023
She says she would leave if the plans go ahead and expects the move could cost her family £100,000.
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move → say → 100,000
Alice says she invested £50,000 in the property and believes she could receive only 75 per cent of its value if she is forced to sell through an auction.
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she → say → auction
She said: 'We have a strong connection to the area as my husband's dad was in the RAF and he was posted at the base for a short while.
'
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he → say → while
He really wanted to live here so when houses came up, and we had a look, it seemed perfect.
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it → want → look
'Our daughter goes to the same school Ian went to and she loves it.
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she → go → it
But I don't want my family growing up in an unsafe environment and I know I am not the only one.
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I → want → environment
We are normal working families.
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We → work → ?
This isn't about race or religion, just wanting to feel secure in our own homes.'
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This → want → homes
Just down the road, tradesman Luke Feather, 28, has already put his house on the market.
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Feather → put → market
Campaigners fear that if more residents leave, the once-populated RAF community could become a 'ghost town' again
Aerial Images of Linton Place, a development of newly refurbished ex-MOD houses adjacent to RAF Linton-On-Ouse, many of which remain unsold due to plans to place 1500 asylum seekers in the airbase
He had been considering moving into a larger property so he and his partner could start a family, but says the asylum plans accelerated the decision.
He said: 'We moved in 2022 just after the original plans were dropped and we were under the impression it would never be brought up again.
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it → fear → impression
'We had just got engaged and were looking for somewhere to settle down, and we couldn't argue with the prices.
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we → engage → prices
'But when the migrant plans came up, it was upsetting as we love the area but it accelerated our plans to move out, as it isn't somewhere I would want to raise a child.'
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I → come → child
The proposed centre would house single men aged between 18 and 65, with the Home Office saying the site would be secure and operate for a minimum of three years if the scheme is approved.
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scheme → propose → years
The plan marks a revival of a controversial proposal first made in 2022, when plans to accommodate around 1,500 asylum seekers at the RAF base were eventually abandoned following fierce local opposition.
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plans → mark → opposition
The Government says the former military site is being considered as part of its drive to move asylum seekers out of hotels and into large, basic accommodation.
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site → say → accommodation
The impact of the latest proposal can be seen across the village's housing estates.
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impact → see → estates
Opposite Linton Meadows is Linton Place, a cul-de-sac of 20 four-bedroom detached homes advertised at £1,650 a month.
But only four are currently rented, according to the information supplied by residents.
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four → detach → residents
The properties are owned by Annington, which has been renovating former RAF homes in the village as part of its Linton Collection since 2022.
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which → own → 2022
Listings show only a small number of properties available to rent, with some having remained on the market for weeks.
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some → show → weeks
One elderly woman who lives at Linton Place with her husband said she moved into the area in July, around the time the proposal was announced.
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proposal → live → time
She claims no one has moved into the surrounding empty properties since the plans became public and says she would leave if the centre goes ahead.
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centre → claim → properties
Elderly resident Michael Thompson, 84, said: 'My daughter initially spoke about moving out, but instead we agreed on getting CCTV cameras put up'
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cameras → say → ?
She said: 'All the houses are empty because of the migrant plans.
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houses → say → plans
Who would want to move in with this looming over your head.
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Who → want → head
It won't be a safe place to live.
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It → live → ?
…and 36 more, not listed.
The Aporia
