London council eyes asylum-row village for homeless

Homeless families on a London council's social housing waiting list could be housed on an estate in a Shropshire village that recently fought off plans to house asylum seekers.

In July, plans to house up to 83 asylum seekers in new-build homes on Dutton Close in Stoke Heath were scrapped following local opposition.

Shropshire Council said it has since learnt that Enfield Council was looking to rent properties on the estate to homeless families to whom it owes a housing duty.

The council said it had written to the authority in the capital to "formally record its significant concerns about these proposals". The BBC has approached Enfield Council for a response.

Local MP Mark Pritchard has vowed to fight the plans for the estate, which he described as a "rural, isolated area" and "a completely inappropriate site".

"I think it is wrong that people from a London borough are relocated from an urban area into a very, very rural area where there aren't support services," he said.

"It's not only wrong for the local residents; it's actually wrong for the people who are going to be relocated. Some of them may never have even visited Shropshire before, let alone lived in Shropshire."

He added: "Housing and homelessness legislation says that all local authorities have a duty to try and house people within their own areas. That's the first point. Secondly, that all accommodation should be suitable. And I don't believe this is a suitable location."

The original plans to house asylum seekers in Stoke Heath had met with strong opposition from residents, who said the site was "wholly unsuitable".

Serco, which is contracted by the government to house asylum seekers, said it acquired the homes while working under the direction of the Home Office.

In July, the plans were dropped following an intervention by the Home Office, which said the Home Secretary had intervened directly to stop asylum seekers being moved in.

On Thursday, Shropshire Council said it and Stoke on Tern Parish Council had learned of proposals by Enfield Council "to place families to whom it owes a housing duty at Dutton Close, Stoke Heath, through private rented housing arrangements".

Shropshire Council said the properties were currently available to rent or buy on the open market.

The authority added it believed the homes on Dutton Close were "not a suitable location for these placements".

A spokesperson said the site was "poorly connected, with limited access to transport, services and other essential support" and had no community facilities nearby.

They said this would make it difficult for the people placed there by Enfield Council to settle and integrate in the local community.

The council acknowledged that it had no legal grounds to stop Enfield Council, but "strongly urged" it not to proceed.

Shropshire Council has not said how many people might be placed there and when this might happen.

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