Residents of the small village of Piddington, Oxfordshire, have voiced significant concerns over plans to house up to 3,500 single male asylum seekers at a former military site near their community, which currently has a population of approximately 350.
The group "Women of Piddington" has sent an open letter to female Members of Parliament, expressing fears that the proposed accommodation could lead to local women feeling vulnerable and unsafe, as they could be outnumbered by a ratio of ten to one.
The Home Office has stated that the site, a former Ministry of Defence location, is being considered for up to 1,256 asylum seekers. However, local reports suggest a significantly higher number, which residents argue would overwhelm their historic village.
"Dear Women of Parliament, We are the Women of Piddington – and we are facing a crisis," the letter reads. "We are 133 females living in a tiny rural community. The Government is planning to open non-detained asylum accommodation for 1,256 men right beside our village. They would outnumber us ten to one."
"As fellow women, you will understand the serious risks this will expose us to. Our safety, our security and our freedoms will be under threat. Life as we know it will be destroyed. We will not feel safe walking our streets. We are already living in fear."
Tim McNally, chair of Piddington Parish Council, stated that the village "deserves the truth" about the number of asylum seekers planned for the site. He noted a discrepancy between the proposal of 1,256 single males aged 18 to 65 and figures suggesting a focus on 3,510 individuals. McNally described this as "either deception at the greatest level or incompetence at the highest."
Residents have criticized the plans as "completely inappropriate" and "impractical," highlighting that the village lacks basic amenities such as a pub or a shop. Melise Witkin, a resident, expressed concerns for safety, stating that "1,250 men turning up is a recipe for disaster."
In protest, villagers have announced a referendum on independence from the UK and released a song titled "Battle for Britain," created with AI, to express their opposition to the Home Office's plans and draw parallels to the British effort during World War II.
The Home Office has defended its plans, stating that it is untrue to suggest the site would house 3,510 people and reiterated that their planning application specifies accommodation for up to 1,256 asylum seekers. A spokesperson emphasized that community concerns are central to their immigration reforms, which include closing asylum hotels and utilizing alternative accommodation, such as former military sites.
The use of former military sites for asylum seeker accommodation is part of the Home Office's strategy to end the use of hotels by 2029. The number of hotels used has decreased significantly from a peak of 400 to fewer than 160, with approximately 16,000 individuals now housed in hotels, down from 56,000 in September 2023.
Recent analysis has indicated that a number of local authorities, many of which are rural areas, currently house no taxpayer-supported asylum seekers. These areas include the Cotswolds, Derbyshire Dales, the New Forest, and several others across England, Wales, and Scotland. Mobilization against the plans has seen protest signs placed around the village.