Plans to convert a former Ministry of Defence site near Piddington into accommodation for asylum seekers face a potential legal challenge after campaigners identified records indicating the presence of protected wildlife close to the proposed development.
The discovery comes days after residents of the Oxfordshire village held a symbolic referendum in protest against the government’s plans, with campaigners arguing that the site’s environmental constraints have not been adequately assessed.
Dr Claire Brenner, a qualified zoologist, said she had identified evidence of at least five protected species around the former military site and described the Home Office’s ecological assessment as “not fit for purpose”.
Great crested newts are protected under UK and European wildlife legislation. Developers can require a specific licence where works could affect the species, meaning evidence of their presence could create additional requirements before construction could proceed.
Brenner told The Telegraph: “If the Secretary of State determines this application with this materially incomplete information, that’s open to legal challenge.
“If they proceed to work on the site without a licence, then potentially it’s a wildlife crime.”
She said records held by the Thames Valley environment centre indicated the presence of great crested newts, 12 species of bats, including one considered near-extinct in Britain, as well as nightingales, badgers and an otter.
Brenner also argued that the Home Office had consulted the wrong local records centre, potentially leaving parts of the site insufficiently covered by the assessment.
The Home Office assessment has reportedly identified other potential constraints, including the absence of a viable gas network and limitations on the use of the main water supply at the former military storage site.
A campaign group, Wrong Plan, Wrong Site, has issued a pre-action letter to the Home Office and is seeking to raise an estimated £250,000 to fund a potential judicial review in the High Court. Bicester Town Council is reportedly considering contributing £20,000.
The government has submitted a Crown development application, allowing the decision to be taken outside the normal local planning process. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is expected to determine the application.
The dispute follows a second symbolic independence referendum in Piddington, where residents voted 258 to 26 in favour of leaving the UK as a protest against the proposed asylum accommodation.
The campaign has also produced a song, Battle for Britain, which parish council chairman Tim McNally described as a “rallying cry”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he understood the “strength of feeling” among residents but argued that reducing small boat crossings was central to addressing the wider dispute.
“The only thing to do is to get the numbers down – the number of crossings down – and they are significantly down,” he said.
Christina, a Piddington resident, urged the Prime Minister to visit the area before decisions are taken.
“I want him to see the houses here, I want him to see the site, and I want him to drive to Bicester as well and see the surroundings, and then consider it himself,” she said.
The Home Office said: “The Government is closing every asylum hotel, saving taxpayers over £1billion on asylum support since the election.
“We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation, including former military sites which are designed to be self-contained to reduce impact on the local community.
“While no final decision has yet been taken on the site, we routinely undertake detailed assessments to identify any outstanding requirements before any decisions are made.”
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