A public consultation on proposals for asylum seeker accommodation in Bicester has been opened to residents, businesses and community groups following intervention by the area’s parliamentary representative.
Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, has described the move as a significant step for community involvement in local decision-making.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched the consultation, which will accept responses until 23:59 on September 17.
The development follows Miller’s direct challenge to the Prime Minister during a Commons session on September 1.
In that exchange, he pressed for greater local control over the matter, calling for the withdrawal of an expedited planning application and demanding that residents and their elected representatives be given proper opportunity to examine the proposals.
Miller subsequently correspondence with Housing minister Matthew Pennycook and Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley, pressing for the application to be withdrawn and resubmitted with genuine public consultation.
According to Miller, the outcome represents a victory for democratic participation and acknowledges those community members who insisted on being included in decisions with significant local implications.
However, Miller cautioned that simply opening a period for comments does not constitute genuine engagement.
He emphasized that government ministers must carefully consider all substantive representations and address fundamental problems with the current proposals.
Concerns raised about the plans encompass transportation, road safety, infrastructure capacity, drainage systems, environmental considerations and whether the remote location is appropriate for the facility’s intended purpose.
Miller maintained that the current application represents the incorrect proposal, at the incorrect location and through an inappropriate process.
He advocated for the expedited application to be withdrawn in favour of a standard planning procedure that would provide residents with adequate time, relevant information and meaningful ability to influence the outcome.
The submission highlights that establishing the proposed facility would impose substantial costs on taxpayers while the absence of essential services and amenities would render it unsuitable for occupants and neighbouring communities alike.