Fire at proposed asylum seeker housing treated as arson

A fire at an empty building earmarked for use as asylum seeker accommodation is being investigated as arson, police said.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Roman Court, a former sheltered housing complex in Leverington, at 19:26 BST on Wednesday.

The fire service said six crews had been "working hard" to tackle the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

An investigation will be carried out to establish the exact cause of the fire once it is fully extinguished, it said.

Crews from Wisbech, March and Dogsthorpe, along with the turntable ladder from Stanground and crews from Outwell and West Walton in Norfolk, attended the incident.

No injuries have been reported, the fire service said.

Earlier this month there were peaceful protests against the announcement that Fenland District Council had been told by the Home Office that a site in Leverington could "provide 26 bed spaces for mothers and babies".

Cambridgeshire Constabulary said: "Firefighters brought the blaze under control, but the building has been severely damaged.

"The fire is being treated as arson and is being investigated by the fire service and police."

The force asked anyone with information to come forward.

The site was listed for sale in an auction in October 2025. The property details said it featured 21 self-contained flats, including 16 studios, four one-bedroom and one three-bedroom units.

There is also planning permission to build single-storey extensions to four of the flats.

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