The Home Office continues to carry out development work at RAF Scampton despite written assurance that all work has stopped, says West Lindsey District Council.
The Council received written confirmation yesterday from the Home Office, confirming it has stopped all work in compliance with the Stop Order issued by the Council on 22 September.
But Enforcement Officers have continued to visit and observe from the perimeter of the site daily, and intelligence provided by the local community remains key to the Council’s oversight of activity.
Unfortunately, despite written assurances to the contrary, it is clear activity persists at pace on site, says the Council.
The Stop Notice relates to the following unlawful uses of RAF Scampton:
(1) Without planning permission, the making of a material change of use of the site to accommodation for asylum seekers.
(2) Without planning permission, the carrying out of operational development to facilitate the use of the site in connection with the unauthorised use of the site to accommodate asylum seekers as follows:
- The siting of Portakabins to house asylum seekers; and
- Significant and invasive groundworks in order to make the necessary utilities connections to accommodate asylum seekers on the site.
And it required that the Home Office:
(1) Ceases using the site as accommodation for asylum seekers.
(2) Removes any asylum seekers residing on the site.
(3) Ceases operational development works to site Portakabins on the site and ancillary works associated with the siting of the Portakabins such as utility connections, any hard standing, fencing to enclose the Portakabins.
(4) Ceases all intrusive groundworks on the site.
(5) Restores the site to its original condition.
The Home Office has not challenged the issue of the Stop Notice and Enforcement Notice in respect of the unlawful change of use of RAF Scampton, and has not provided reasons for works on site continuing despite a stop notice being in place.
The Home Office also continue to refuse to allow the council access to the site to undertake routine enforcement monitoring.
The Stop Notice remains in place until the related Enforcement Notice has either been withdrawn by the Council, has been complied with, or the time for compliance has passed. Until such time, RAF Scampton cannot lawfully be used as accommodation for asylum seekers.
