THE Home Office has hit back at criticism of its plans to expand a county immigration centre, claiming public concern is not “widespread.”

Its planning consultants CGMS have written to Cherwell District Council about campaigners’ concerns over the plans for Campsfield House.

The firm said the council had only received 12 letters from neighbours objecting to the scheme, which is regarded not to be “a sign of controversy.”

In the letter CGMS said: “Comments that there is widespread local concern about the application and that it is controversial locally, does not seem to be an accurate description.”

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It added: “It is therefore not the case that the local residents are unequivocally opposed to the plans.”

The consultants also said: “Many of the points raised by objectors are not planning matters and relate to Government policy on immigration”.

The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice want council permission for a 290-bed extension to the 276-bed Langford Lane centre, open for 22 years.

It is for men who have been through the immigration process, are going through on appeal or are offenders awaiting removal from the UK.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon Layla Moran said that in November between 80 and 100 people attended a meeting about the centre.

She also claimed some people had problems using a webportal to submit their views.

Ms Moran added: “This was later rectified but at the time it was only the persistent who managed to lodge complaints.

“The others felt that as the local groups had been very vocal about it, their voices were being heard.

“The fact that we are being essentially dismissed out of hand by the consultancy the Home Office have hired – notice the letter is not actually the Home Office themselves – is why I have had such a strong reaction to this.”

The council’s planning committee will be asked to make a decision on the expansion when it meets on Thursday, January 22.

Conservative MP for Oxford West and Abingdon Nicola Blackwood told the council there is “widespread local concern” about the plans to create “Europe’s largest detention centre”.

She said: “Detention is a necessary part of our immigration system.

“However, it is vital that detention centres are sensitively designed and appropriate to their location. This application is neither.”

The Home Office said it meets a legal test of “very special circumstances” to allow development and it would not let the land be used for other purposes.

The centre is “completely enclosed” by trees and hedges, it said.

The planning committee will meet fom 4pm at the council’s White Post Road, Bodicote offices.

What do you think. Email letters@oxfordmail.co.uk

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