Piddington residents protest asylum seeker housing plans

Residents of Piddington, a small Oxfordshire village, are protesting Home Office plans to house asylum seekers at a nearby Ministry of Defence depot. While official figures state the site will accommodate 1,256 single adult males, a surfaced planning document and risk assessment suggest a capacity for up to 3,510 service users.

Local resident Ian Darby expressed concern that the higher figure might represent the government's ultimate goal, describing the potential influx as a “takeover” that could destroy the village. The Home Office has dismissed the 3,510 figure as an “outdated estimate” and maintains the site is capped at 1,256 people.

The community, which consists of approximately 350 residents, has voiced opposition to the ten-year temporary change of use for the site, citing concerns over local infrastructure and the proximity of the facility to children's playing fields.