Newts ‘may thwart Piddington migrant camp after Home Office failed to identify protected species on site’

NEWTS could stop a migrant camp from being built in Piddington after the Home Office failed to identify the species on the site. Campaigners in the Oxfordshire village voted to leave the UK in a symbolic referendum over the controversial proposals to house 1,250 male asylum seekers in the hamlet. Around 3,000 migrants could be moved into Bicester Garrison Credit: Getty Residents of Piddington held a referendum of independence in protest Credit: Getty Now they have discovered records showing a number of protected wildlife species on the site, the Telegraph reports. The Home Office didn’t mention the presence of any protected species when submitting their planning application for Bicester Garrison. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Locals have warned they will be free to mount a legal challenge to foil the development unless it repeats an ecological assessment. If not, the government department could be open to a legal challenge that could stop the plans in their tracks. The women of Piddington say they would feel unsafe if the migrants were moved to their village Credit: PA Newts could see the Home Office plans halted Credit: Reuters Claire Brenner, a resident with a zoology degree, who uncovered the evidence, said: “If the Secretary of State determines this application with this materially incomplete information, that’s open to legal challenge. “If they proceed to work on the site without a licence, then potentially it’s a wildlife crime.” She added that the Home Office’s ecological assessment wasn’t “fit for purpose” with its claim that there were no records of five different types of protected wildlife at the proposed site being wrong. Claire analysed documents at Thames Valley environment records centre where she claims she discovered there was evidence of a breeding population of newts on the site. Most read in The Sun She also said there was evidence of 12 different species of bats, nightingales, badgers and an otter. According to Claire, the Home Office consulted the wrong environment centre. Newts are a protected species under British law meaning the developer must stop work and conduct surveys if there is any record or evidence of their presence at the site. If the home office is likely to disturb the site it must get a licence from Natural England, the official government adviser. It comes as it is revealed that the migrant centre faces further setbacks in the form of a lack of gas and water. A Home Office assessment reportedly found no viable gas network and limited use of the main water supply at the site – a former military storage space. Credit: Reuters A villager claims to have found evidence of newts living on the proposed site for the migrant camp Credit: PA The existing electricity infrastructure is also reportedly unreliable and would leave the proposed camp requiring generators. As well as this, the drainage system at the site was identified as being “largely non-operational”, the Times reports. Piddington, which has a population of 358, voted 285 in favour, 26 against and one spoilt vote in a referendum to become independent. The women of Piddington say they fear they will be attacked on their doorstep if Home Office proposals to house some 1,250 asylum seekers there go through. They said that the migrants, almost four times the local population, pose a threat to public safety in the community and will add to pressure on local services. The hamlet’s symbolic referendum of independence was held on Wednesday in protest against the plans. Following the referendum jubilant villagers were seen holding up a ‘Principality of Piddington’ sign as they celebrated the result. Bicester Garrison has been chosen as part Labour’s wider scheme to convert Ministry of Defence facilities into migrant housing and close asylum hotels. But, in July, 96 per cent of villagers said they wanted a referendum on leaving the UK and slammed the controversial plans for “Site A”. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he understands the “strength of feeling” across the country about migration. When quizzed on the referendum, he said: “Well, I understand the strength of feeling. “That’s something that is across the country, but the only thing to do is to get the numbers down, the number of crossings down. “We also made a commitment to people to end the use of hotels to house refugees and asylum seekers. That commitment needs to be honoured.” But Joe Marshall, a professional planner who is leading the campaign to oppose the scheme, said: “Andy Burnham is supposed to be a family man so he needs to come here and listen to our concerns now. “The idea of 1,250 migrant males roaming around a quiet village like Piddington should fill anyone with horror. “Of course the vast majority of these men will be perfectly fine, but if five per cent are not, that’s more than 60 men causing all sorts of problems. “To put it bluntly, these men will have needs they can’t suppress and that could lead to attacks on women here. We can’t have that.” Recently-released documents revealed the centre would potentially house 3,510 asylum seekers, more than double the original proposal of 1,256. Refugees would be moved into the sprawling site, which is located just yards from the village’s Jubilee Reserve community park. All single men from several different countries, they would start arriving in November. Although free to leave the camp and walk into the village or travel to nearby towns, none would be allowed to work. Comment now