Bicester Refugee Support and Asylum Welcome have participated fully throughout the long 'non statutory' planning process into the proposed accommodation centre, which is to be built on Crown land - disused military facilities near Piddington, outside Bicester.

We were a 'Rule 6' party to the Public Inquiry which commenced in December 2002.  The inquiry concluded in 2003 and the independent planning Inspector recommended that 'outline' planning permission for the accommodation centre be refused.  However, John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister, who has the final say, overruled that recommendation and announced in August 2003 that he was approving the Government's application.

In November 2004, GSL and Carilion plc, the Government's contractors, notified Cherwell District Council of the 'reserved matters', those details of the application which had not been considered at the earlier, outline stage. 

Bicester Refugee Support and Asylum Welcome once more submitted a detailed objection to the notification.  However, this submission was not recorded in the papers presented to the South Area Planning Committee, which in February 2005 decided it would object to the notification.   There is to be a second Public Inquiry into the Council's objections and it is thought that this is due to be held at the beginning of July 2005

Preparatory work has already started on the site, as this is the subject of a separate planning application, already agreed by the Council.

Submissions, Downloads & Reports
Read our exclusive report from the first stage of the Public Inquiry, our submissions to the various stages of the planning process, or download pdf copies of them on our dedicated page here

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