Legal challenge to Bicester asylum centre
A legal challenge was launched yesterday against plans to build a large-scale centre for asylum-seekers on Ministry of Defence land in Oxfordshire.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott’s department faced calls from Cherwell District Council for a judicial review of the decision to back the asylum centre near the villages of Arncott and Piddington, in Bicester.
The local council contends there are a “number of flaws” in Mr Prescott’s decision.
The council’s legal bid is expected to cost half a million pounds.
George Reynolds, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: “We put forward a very strong case at the inquiry and we clearly won the planning arguments with the inspector.
“But he was overruled by John Prescott, who decided that more weight should be given to the government’s current policy on accommodation centres.
“We have studied the process and Mr Prescott’s decision letter very carefully and we believe there are several grounds for a legal challenge.
“Our legal advisers indicate that we have a reasonable case, in particular in relation to the process followed, and in these circumstances we owe it to local people to do what we can.”
