The town of Barnham in Suffolk could now vote to leave the United Kingdom a la Piddington. It’s in the symbolic power of the Parish poll…
There are plans to house up to 1,250 asylum seekers at a MoD site near Thetford. The plans are strongly opposed by nearby residents…
Parish councillors are considering emulating the Piddington example – 90% voted to secede from the UK in protest – across the country. Burnham and the Labour government are promising to distribute predominantly male asylum seekers across Britain. Which towns and villages could be next – and could a new state be formed out of the leavers?
Urgent Crown Development application, validated 2 September 2026, representations closed 17 September 2026. Ten-year temporary use, 2027 to 2037, single adult men aged 18 to 65. Decided by the Secretary of State, not Cherwell District Council.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlackthornOxon | ~300 | 4.2 to 1 | |
| PiddingtonOxon | 358 | 3.5 to 1 | |
| LauntonOxon | 1,375 | 0.913 to 1 | |
| Upper ArncottOxon | 1,660 | 0.757 to 1 | |
| AmbrosdenOxon | 2,736 | 0.459 to 1 | |
| BicesterOxon | ~40,000 | 0.031 to 1 |
Urgent Crown Development application submitted 23 July 2026 but not yet published on the MHCLG register, so no representation period has opened. Minimum ten years. Site lies within the Breckland Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation, which West Suffolk Council argues makes the proposal unlawful.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| EustonSuffolk | 138 | 9.1 to 1 | |
| Fakenham MagnaSuffolk | ~167 | 7.5 to 1 | |
| ElvedenSuffolk | ~280 | 4.5 to 1 | |
| BarnhamSuffolk | 584 | 2.1 to 1 | |
| HoningtonSuffolk | ~1,472 | 0.849 to 1 | |
| BrandonSuffolk | ~10,000 | 0.125 to 1 | |
| ThetfordNorfolk | ~25,000 | 0.05 to 1 |
Announced 25 June 2026, minimum three years. A previous plan for 1,500 men was abandoned in 2022 after council legal action. The Linton-on-Ouse Action Group has reformed but says it will not copy the Piddington referendum.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| AldwarkN Yorks | ~100 | 12 to 1 | |
| Shipton by BeningbroughN Yorks | ~450 | 2.7 to 1 | |
| Newton-on-OuseN Yorks | ~500 | 2.4 to 1 | |
| Linton-on-OuseN Yorks | ~700 | 1.7 to 1 | |
| TollertonN Yorks | ~900 | 1.3 to 1 | |
| EasingwoldN Yorks | ~4,500 | 0.267 to 1 |
Open since 12 July 2023 under a Special Development Order. Capacity rising from 766 to 1,245, with the government seeking to extend use beyond 2027. NAO projected a whole-life cost of around £338 million to 2027.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShalfordEssex | ~700 | 1.8 to 1 | |
| WethersfieldEssex | 1,295 | 0.961 to 1 | |
| Great BardfieldEssex | 1,374 | 0.906 to 1 | |
| FinchingfieldEssex | 1,443 | 0.863 to 1 | |
| BraintreeEssex | ~46,000 | 0.027 to 1 |
First 27 men arrived 22 January 2026, scaling to between 500 and 600. The Home Office told Wealden District Council on 2 September 2026 that it intends to seek an extension to 2030 via an Urgent Crown Development application.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| RotherfieldE Sussex | ~2,400 | 0.25 to 1 | |
| UckfieldE Sussex | ~15,000 | 0.04 to 1 | |
| CrowboroughE Sussex | ~21,000 | 0.029 to 1 |
Urgent Crown Development application for the initial triage and processing centre, a new reception centre and a Border Force training facility. Maximum 1,600 on site at any one time, including single women and families. A detained facility under short-term holding rules, not asylum accommodation.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| ManstonKent | 1,975 | 0.81 to 1 | |
| MinsterKent | ~4,500 | 0.356 to 1 | |
| RamsgateKent | ~40,000 | 0.04 to 1 |
Six camps handed to the Home Office by MoD chiefs and reported in November 2025.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| KnookWilts | ~77 | 6.5 to 1 | |
| Castlemartin villagePembs | ~147 | 3.4 to 1 | |
| BosherstonPembs | ~150 | 3.3 to 1 | |
| AnglePembs | ~180 | 2.8 to 1 | |
| East WrethamNorfolk | 396 | 1.3 to 1 | |
| Stackpole and CastlemartinPembs | 559 | 0.894 to 1 | |
| WarcopCumbria | 569 | 0.879 to 1 | |
| BroughCumbria | ~800 | 0.625 to 1 | |
| MundfordNorfolk | ~1,000 | 0.5 to 1 | |
| HeytesburyWilts | ~1,100 | 0.455 to 1 | |
| DeepcutSurrey | ~2,000 | 0.25 to 1 | |
| Appleby-in-WestmorlandCumbria | ~3,000 | 0.167 to 1 | |
| PirbrightSurrey | ~3,691 | 0.135 to 1 | |
| BrookwoodSurrey | ~4,000 | 0.125 to 1 | |
| WarminsterWilts | ~18,000 | 0.028 to 1 | |
Eight locations currently hold people under immigration powers, plus Haslar which is due to reopen in 2027. Campsfield and Haslar are both subject to live expansion applications decided by the Planning Inspectorate rather than the local council.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| HarmondsworthHillingdon
Colnbrook IRC, 308 beds, built to Category B prison standard. Harmondsworth IRC adjoins it on the same bypass; its capacity is not published.
|
~6,000 | 0.051 to 1 | |
| HorleySurrey
Brook House IRC, capacity 450, plus Tinsley House IRC. Both at Gatwick.
|
~24,000 | 0.019 to 1 | |
| KidlingtonOxon
Campsfield IRC, reopened 1 December 2025. Expansion application CROWN/2026/0000004 goes to public inquiry on 6 October 2026.
|
~13,700 | 0.012 to 1 | |
| GosportHants
Haslar IRC, closed 2015, due to reopen in 2027 at 130 with an application to expand to 600. Consultation closed 6 August 2026.
|
~81,000 | 0.007 to 1 | |
| CrawleyW Sussex
Host borough for Brook House and Tinsley House.
|
~118,000 | 0.004 to 1 | |
| ClaphamBeds
Yarl’s Wood IRC, plus a screening facility. Capacity not published.
|
~1,300 | n/a | |
| BurnhopeCo Durham
Derwentside IRC. Capacity not published.
|
~1,500 | n/a | |
| ConsettCo Durham
Nearest town to Derwentside.
|
~27,000 | n/a | |
| StrathavenS Lanarkshire
Dungavel House IRC. Capacity not published.
|
~7,500 | n/a | |
| DoverKent
Western Jet Foil and the Kent Intake Unit. Short-stay arrivals processing.
|
~31,000 | n/a |
Sites the Home Office has abandoned, cancelled or handed on. Every one of them could be revived. Linton-on-Ouse was dropped in 2022, and returned in 2026. Ratios use the last figure each site was proposed at.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| ScamptonLincs
Cancelled September 2024 after costs reached around £27 million against a £5 million forecast. Capped at 800 from an original 2,000.
|
~1,000 | 0.8 to 1 | |
| ScottowNorfolk
Former RAF Coltishall. Plans lodged for 200 Afghan refugees.
|
~1,000 | 0.2 to 1 | |
| PortlandDorset
Bibby Stockholm removed in late 2024 after legionella contamination and a death on board. The berth remains.
|
~13,000 | 0.038 to 1 | |
| Bexhill-on-SeaE Sussex
Northeye. Bought for £15.4 million, found unsuitable, transferred to Homes England on 16 February 2026.
|
~40,000 | 0.03 to 1 | |
| FolkestoneKent
Napier Barracks. Emptied 19 December 2025, handed to Taylor Wimpey in March 2026.
|
~50,000 | 0.007 to 1 | |
| InvernessHighland
Cameron Barracks. Ruled out in June 2026 after six months of assessment concluded HMO licensing prevented its use.
|
~47,000 | 0.006 to 1 | |
| Catterick GarrisonN Yorks
Announced March 2023 in the then Prime Minister’s constituency. Never delivered, no capacity ever published.
|
~13,000 | n/a |
The Home Office has confirmed it is pursuing roughly 800 sites that are neither hotels nor military bases, including disused care homes and vacant student accommodation. Locations are not published.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| StaffordStaffs
Former university halls at Beaconside. Refused by the council in July 2022 on grounds including fear of crime, taken to appeal by Serco.
|
~70,000 | 0.007 to 1 | |
| HuddersfieldW Yorks
Former student accommodation. One of the four original large sites costed by the NAO in March 2024.
|
~145,000 | n/a | |
| LeedsW Yorks
Home Office sought a certificate of lawful development to convert a student block to non-student use.
|
~500,000 | n/a | |
| BridgwaterSomerset
Holiday Inn, closed as asylum accommodation in the August 2026 tranche.
|
~41,000 | n/a |
Fewer than 160 hotels remain in use, down from more than 400 at peak. The Home Office names every hotel it closes and none of the ones it keeps open. A typical asylum hotel holds between 100 and 400 people.
| Place | Population | Beds per resident | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenhotel in use | not published | ||
| Altrinchamhotel in use | not published | ||
| Bowthorpehotel in use | not published | ||
| Bristolhotel in use | not published | ||
| Canary Wharfhotel in use | not published | ||
| Cannockhotel in use | not published | ||
| County Antrimhotel in use | not published | ||
| Disshotel in use | not published | ||
| Exeterhotel in use | not published | ||
| Falkirkhotel in use | not published | ||
| Horleyhotel in use | not published | ||
| Liverpoolhotel in use | not published | ||
| Moldhotel in use | not published | ||
| Newcastlehotel in use | not published | ||
| Northamptonhotel in use | not published | ||
| Nuneatonhotel in use | not published | ||
| Perthhotel in use | not published | ||
| Stanwellhotel in use | not published | ||
| Tamworthhotel in use | not published | ||
| Wakefieldhotel in use | not published | ||
| Ashfordhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Birminghamhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Blackpoolhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Bradfordhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Bridgwaterhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Chelmsfordhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Cheltenhamhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Cheshunthotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Dunstablehotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Eppinghotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Halehotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Hitchinhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Lewishamhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Loughboroughhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Northallertonhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Norwichhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Nottinghamhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Readinghotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Sandbachhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Stratford-upon-Avonhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Wembleyhotel closed 2026 | closed | ||
| Wolverhamptonhotel closed 2026 | closed |
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”