Cherwell District Council has formally objected to Government plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers at a former Ministry of Defence site near Piddington, Oxfordshire. The council says the proposal is too vague and could create avoidable risks for residents, local communities and the environment, intensifying opposition in the village, whose population is about 350.

The council criticised the application for lacking key details, including a site layout, and raised concerns about wastewater, flooding, ecology, access and possible asbestos and unexploded ordnance. Thames Valley Police also warned of potential protests, conflict, privacy breaches and harassment, while the council said high-visibility jackets and shuttle buses would not provide a safe pedestrian network. The Home Office said former military sites would offer self-contained accommodation and help close asylum hotels.