PLANS to house asylum seekers at a former North Yorkshire military base have been formally opposed by a town council 50 miles away from the site.
The Home Office announced earlier this year it would seek planning permission to use the ex-RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York, to house up to 1,200 asylum seekers while their claims were processed.
Reform-led Scarborough Town Council approved a motion calling for “urgent assurances” from the Home Office and North Yorkshire Council that the seaside town would not be used as a placement area for those who had been processed without “a comprehensive, open consultation”.
STC Full Meeting Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
At a meeting on Tuesday, August 25, the proposal was passed with the support of one Labour councillor, while two Independents abstained over concerns that the motion’s wording on housing policy could be seen as “predetermination” when deciding on future planning applications.
Reform’s Deputy town mayor, Cllr Sarah Mason, said: “I applaud North Yorkshire Council for its unanimous objection to the Linton-on-Ouse proposal, but here in Scarborough we need clarity on several important points.
First, how long is the asylum process? Second, what happens once asylum is granted and who becomes responsible for housing individuals at that stage? We also need clarity on what happens if asylum is not granted; where do individuals go?”
She also called for “assurances that Scarborough will not be utilised as a placement area, especially when our residents are already facing real hardship securing a home, along with the ever-growing number of homeless house in multiple occupation (HMO) accommodation units, which, as we know, is causing real-time distress for the residents. The last thing that Scarborough needs is yet more HMOs.”
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All councillors present at the meeting said they were opposed to the potential use of the Linton-on-Ouse site, which the Home Office previously said would be “subject to detailed feasibility assessments, which could take several months to complete”.
Reform’s Cllr William Stuart said that despite the geographical distance from Scarborough, the motion was “both reasonable and necessary” for the town.
He told the meeting: “The point is simple, Scarborough has already absorbed more than its fair share of housing pressure – we are not asking for special treatment.
“We are asking for clarity, transparency and assurances that decisions made elsewhere will not place additional strain on a town that is already stretched. Supporting North Yorkshire Council’s objection and requesting information from the Home Office is responsible.”
The motion also criticised North Yorkshire Council for “failing to identify or address the proliferation of permitted development conversions from dwellinghouses to small HMOs”.
RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Photo: Google.
Independent councillor Rich Maw described the proposal as “a word salad bringing together the Linton-on-Ouse proposal with issues from previous motions concerning HMO conversions” and abstained from the vote.
He added: “They’re all legitimate issues in their own right, but combining them doesn’t make this motion stronger; it makes it less clear about what Scarborough Town Council is actually trying to achieve.
“If the aim is simply to support NYC’s objection to Linton-on-Ouse, then say so, and I can support that without hesitation. But by adding a series of speculative consequences and unrelated policy issues, the motion becomes much harder to support.”
Cllr Janet Jefferson, an Independent who also abstained, said she was opposed to the Linton-on-Ouse plan but noted that the motion’s wording on HMOs could lead to accusations of predetermination as she also sits on NYC’s planning committee.
Labour’s Cllr Chris Clark, who supported the motion, said: “Let’s remember that these are 1,000 people who have come to the UK under extreme circumstances; they are not 1,000 criminals. These 1,000 people, most of whom will find useful, gainful employment, whether it’s in the UK or somewhere else.
“The United Nations is always pointing out that many immigrants or refugees who turn up through no fault of their own, mostly, but not always, I appreciate that, are often smart, qualified people in their own countries escaping because of repression.”
The motion was passed with nine votes in favour and two abstentions.
In a statement, the Home Office said: “This government is closing every asylum hotel and moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation, including former military sites.
“We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, engaging with local authorities to reduce the impact on communities.
“The numbers in asylum accommodation are now falling, with costs down by £1 billion since the general election.”