For the past 18 months, the gates at RAF Scampton have been lined with passionate protesters who stood up against government plans to house asylum seekers at the historic base. Tents were pitched along the roadside with patriotic flags fluttering in the wind – but the once-filled encampments have now disappeared as the community celebrates a monumental victory.
News of a £300 million regeneration project for RAF Scampton in March 2023 was welcomed by local residents until the Conservative government scuppered the plans just hours later. Initial plans to house up to 2,000 asylum seekers on the base, once home to the Red Arrows and Dambusters, were met with fury from residents, councillors, MPs and people from all over the country.
Petitions were set up, judicial reviews took place and protesters kept up the fight until the Home Office confirmed on Thursday, September 5 this year that the plans were to be scrapped. A total of £60 million had already been spent on the site, according to the Home Office, which says work to close it will begin immediately, with its sale happening in line with an established process for disposing of crown land.
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One of the leading campaigners since the plans were announced was Sarah Carter, founder of Save Our Scampton. Sarah once looked out her window to see the iconic Red Arrows jets lining the runway, but now all she sees is portacabins which could have been used to house large groups of male asylum seekers just a stone’s throw away from the local primary school.
Reacting to the news that the asylum centre plans had been scrapped, Sarah told Lincolnshire Live: “I’m ecstatic. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve managed between protests, court cases and everything else to delay everything by a little over a year.
“I was so shocked. I still don’t think it’s properly sunk in yet that it’s over. So many people have sacrificed so much. Even the council having to go away for court cases and endless hours in meetings. It’s been a massive group effort and everybody has contributed in some way even if it was just joining the Facebook group to show support.”
Scampton Holdings is the company behind the £300 million investment project which can now go ahead, paving the way for a business, aerospace and heritage centre. Sarah added: “What the investment could mean to Lincolnshire is huge and I don’t think I’ll ever see an investment like this of private money again in my lifetime. [Scampton Holdings] want to protect and preserve the history and heritage which is the most important thing and it’s creating 1,000 jobs.”
Life as a campaigner at RAF Scampton was far from straightforward, with people coming from all over the country to protest and, as Sarah pointed out, sometimes for the wrong reasons. Sarah said: “You had people who wanted others to align with them for their own agendas.
“There was a lot of bad mouthing of me and they showed that they weren’t really interested in saving Scampton, it was all smoke and mirrors. We went through a lot. Having a group of people evict us from our tent in the middle of the night and the constant abuse wasn’t nice.
“There has been plenty of tears and plenty of sleepless nights but I’ve also made some awesome friends through this. If I could go back 18 months I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
Another RAF Scampton resident, Susan Townsend, has also opposed the plans since the start. She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. It’s fantastic. I screamed when I heard the news, it’s wonderful and I can’t believe it.
“It means we can have the regeneration plan now and it will be interesting to see how it goes, I can’t wait. I hope it goes well for Scampton Holdings and West Lindsey District Council. It’s been a right struggle over these 18 months. Hopefully I can get on with my life a bit better now and catch up with my housework.”
West Lindsey district councillor for the Scampton ward, Roger Patterson, said he was “delighted” to hear that the plans will no longer go ahead. He said: “It was totally out of the blue, I was gobsmacked. It’s the best news we’ve had for about two years now. It’s the relief as well.
“Hopefully now we can get on and get it sorted. It means everything to our community. The £300 million investment was beyond our wildest dreams and to have it snatched was awful. To finally see it scrapped is great. I’m delighted and I know everyone around the estate is.
“I would like to thank the Lincolnshire Echo because without them and the media our voice would’ve been silent and they’ve stayed with us all the way. They’ve been fantastic.”
Lincoln MP Hamish Falconer, who actively campaigned against the asylum centre plans since they were announced and promised to get them axed, said: “Going forward, I will be working across all parties with all local councils and MPs to try and make sure that this historic site gets the investment and the heritage respect that it deserves.”
Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh said: “It is important that the full regeneration package now goes ahead and we achieve the once-in-a-generation chance to bring investment into this vital part of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. I will be seeking further reassurance that this will be the case, but for now we are celebrating.”
West Lindsey District Council confirmed it remains committed to working with Scampton Holdings to realise the potential of the site. Councillor Trevor Young, leader of WLDC, said: “The council now look forward to finalising plans with [Scampton Holdings] which have necessarily had to pause whilst the issues played out.
“We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support and commitment from [Scampton Holdings], and the patience they have shown us, whilst working through the issues. We hope that our collaboration can now accelerate at pace.”
Peter Hewitt, chairman of Scampton Holdings Limited, said: “We must now put this period behind us, roll up our sleeves and work together to unlock the true potential of Scampton for generations to come. We look forward to concluding our contract with West Lindsey District Council and moving into a period where we can work both with investors and the local community to achieve something very special in the defence, air and space sector in this unique corner of Lincolnshire.”
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