Home Office forced to suspend plans to house asylum seekers at former RAF airbase

Braintree District Council, which opposes the plans, said in a statement it had been given the green light for an injunction hearing in the High Court on April 19 The High Court injection hearing will take place on April 19 (

Image: Lindsey Parnaby/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been forced to shelve controversial plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers at a former military air base amid a legal battle.

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It comes after Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick last month announced plans to use two RAF sites – Wethersfield and Scampton – to provide accommodation.

Braintree District Council said at the time that they would seek an injunction from the High Court over plans to use Wethersfield Airfield - built for the RAF during the Second World War.

Conservative Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has previously said the site in his constituency “was not suitable for the accommodation of asylum seekers”.

In one, he had been given the green light for their case to be heard on April 19.

A statement said: "The Home Office has confirmed to the judge hearing the case that it will not transfer asylum seekers to Wethersfield airfield until some time after the hearing of the court and will only do so if they succeed in defending their position against our injunction."

However, the scheduled full-day hearing will not prevent the Home Office from preparing the site to house asylum seekers.

A banner saying 'Stop The Asylum Centre' in Wethersfield, Braintree (

Picture:

Alamy Photo)

Counsel added: "Although this means that our legal action has not yet prevented the Home Office from starting to prepare the site for the accommodation of asylum seekers, our hearing will be l 'opportunity to fully consider the issues and decision to be made by the High Court on the legality of the proposal.'

They continue to ins...