Leader calls urgent meeting on future of RAF Barnham

29 Jun 2026

An urgent meeting of West Suffolk Council has been requested by the Leader, Cllr Cliff Waterman, on the future of RAF Barnham.

The meeting will discuss a motion to confirm the council’s position that RAF Barnham is the wrong site to home asylum seekers and that the authority will engage with the Home Office to represent the significant local concerns.

The meeting is proposed to be held at 3pm on Wednesday, 1 July. The motion will be proposed by Cllr Waterman and seconded by West Suffolk Councillor for Barnham, Cllr Andrew Smith.

Cllr Cliff Waterman said: “We only heard the news on Thursday that the Home Office was proposing Barnham to house asylum seekers. Since then, I have spoken to local representatives and listened to the local community. It is clear that this is not the right place for such a facility.

“At the moment this is my view as leader. Our communities deserve certainty. Which is why I have called an urgent meeting to make sure our whole council is given the opportunity to have their say and send a strong message to the Home Office in support of our communities.

“The site is in a rural area, and there are concerns about security, impact on services and the community as well as the suitability of putting a large number of people in a location without adequate facilities. RAF Barnham is also within the Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation Buffer Zone which restricts what developments can be built or used for. This has restricted the base being developed in the past and wider housing development in the area.

“This is time for cool heads and evidence based arguments and not divisive language or actions. It is a time for the council to stand with our communities. If this motion is supported, we will continue to talk to and engage with the Home Office to make sure they clearly understand our position.

“It is also my intention to establish a group with the local member, Cllr Andrew Smith, at its heart representing the voice of local residents.”

Cllr Andrew Smith, Local Member for Barnham, said: “It is very clear that this is not the right place to house such a facility. I welcome this urgent debate and urge members to back the motion and back local residents who are rightly concerned about this surprise news. We will gather evidence to make the strongest case possible to take to the Home Office and that requires us all working together. This is simply the wrong place and would adversely impact on a very small community which has neither the facilities or services to deal with this.”
 

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