July 2023
The Home Office want to re-open Campsfield House IRC in Kidlington
as an expanded detention centre for 400 men, in a new multi-storey prison block
Demolition of some small outbuildings on the Campsfield site was approved at the end of June 2023 and is proceeding. A Full Planning application will follow soon. (https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23558771.campsfield-house-immigration-centre-demolition-plans-lodged/ )
You can look up the latest Home Office planning submissions on the Cherwell District Council planning portal: https://planningregister.cherwell.gov.uk/
Planning applications are being lodged by the Home Office using this address: “Formerly Campsfield House IRC Langford Lane Kidlington OX5 1RE”
The Home Office is continuing with work at the Campsfield site regardless of Human Rights concerns and various arguments in Court about the legality of the government’s immigration-prevention policies.
There is currently intensive building and development work going on in Kidlington, all around Campsfield. There is a new business estate that already goes right up to the fence of Campsfield on the east side, and overlooks the site. Oxford University is expanding its Begbroke estate to the south.
There is likely to be residential development to the south of Campsfield. If hundreds of new houses are built, there will be new facilities as well, such as a school and nursery. But naturally, new residents will not be happy to live in the shadow of a detention centre, and developers should see how it will devalue their properties.
The re-opening and expansion of Campsfield House will be bad for Kidlington residents and bad for refugees.
What can the local community do?
If you are a Kidlington resident, please write to your Cherwell District councillors, and ask them to oppose the Home Office’s Planning application to re-open Campsfield as an expanded detention centre.
If you support the Campsfield Re-imagined project to redevelop the site as affordable housing, then please tell your local councillors and your MP that you would prefer Oxford City of Sanctuary’s alternative plan for the site.
There are details of Campsfield Re-imagined here:
https://oxford.cityofsanctuary.org/2023/07/13/campsfield-re-imagined
Contacting Kidlington elected representatives
Member of Parliament
Layla Moran MP
Constituency address:
Unit 5C, Grange Court, Abingdon Science Park, Barton Road
Abingdon OX14 3NB
Phone: 01235 522535
Email: [email protected]
Cherwell District Council
Kidlington West
Councillor Jean Conway: [email protected]
Councillor Lesley McLean: [email protected]
Councillor Dorothy Walker: [email protected]
Kidlington East
Councillor Fiona Mawson: [email protected]
Councillor Ian Middleton: [email protected]
Councillor Maurice Billington: [email protected]
Oxfordshire County Council
Kidlington South
Councillor Ian Middleton
Kirtlington & Kidlington North
Councillor Nigel Simpson