Norfolk and Suffolk police say converting RAF Barnham into asylum accommodation would create a "critical risk" to specialist training delivered at the base. Plans revealed in June could house up to 3,750 people; West Suffolk councillors have unanimously deemed the site unsuitable. The forces say a weeks‑long vacating timetable is unrealistic and that up to six months would be needed to relocate without harming policing capability. The Home Office says five military sites are being explored and that hotel use for asylum seekers has fallen sharply.
Police Warn RAF Barnham Plan Would Endanger Specialist Training as Home Office Eyes Site
RAF Barnham, or Barnham Camp, has been used as accommodation for military personnel [Martin Giles/BBC]
Norfolk and Suffolk police forces have warned that government proposals to convert RAF Barnham, near Thetford, into accommodation for asylum seekers would pose a "critical risk" to specialist policing training run at the base.
Plans revealed in June propose housing up to 3,750 people at the site, a move that has already prompted protests outside the base and unanimous opposition from West Suffolk councillors in July, who judged the location unsuitable for asylum accommodation.
The two forces, which have leased RAF Barnham for several years as a specialist operations training centre, told ministers the Home Office timetable to vacate the site within weeks is "not achievable or realistic." According to a letter to Policing Minister Sarah Jones MP, the forces said they would need up to six months to vacate safely and secure an alternative location "without causing significant detriment to policing capabilities" locally, regionally and nationally.
"RAF Barnham is a critical policing asset that underpins the delivery of specialist training across our two constabularies," the forces wrote, warning that those capabilities "cannot simply be transferred into standard training environments without significant compromise and disruption."
The forces also raised concerns about potential "heightened community tension and unrest" if the base was repurposed for asylum accommodation.
Councillors from all parties unanimously backed a motion, saying the site was not suitable for asylum seekers [Zoie O'Brien/BBC]
A Home Office spokesperson responded that community concerns are central to its immigration reforms and that ministers are working with local authorities and partners to disperse asylum seekers across basic accommodation, including former military sites. The department said five military sites are either already in use or are being explored for this purpose.
The Home Office also noted recent reductions in the use of hotels for asylum accommodation, saying placements in hotels are down 35% in the last year and down 63% from the peak of 56,000 in September 2023.
Separately, West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy said the Home Office has submitted an "Urgent Crown Development" bid to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, a mechanism that would allow ministers to consider and decide whether to press ahead with the site change.
Why This Matters
The dispute highlights tensions between central government efforts to find accommodation for asylum seekers and the operational needs of local policing and communities. Police argue that a rushed relocation would damage specialist training capabilities that serve not only local but regional and national policing priorities.
Help us improve.
