Hambleton District Council is preparing to take legal action over plans to open a centre for asylum seekers at the former RAF base at Linton-on-Ouse.
The proposed centre for 1,500 asylum seekers has angered local residents who have accused the Home Office of treating them as “collateral damage”.
The first occupants are due to arrive at the base next week.
This week, Hambleton district Council ahs announced it has sent the Government a pre action protocol letter, which it says it needs to do ahead of any potential legal action.
The authority has demanded that government officials make an official response addressing their queries and concerns.
Councillor Mark Robson, leader of the district council, said the authority was yet to receive the formal response it was promised would arrive last week.
He added: “We expect this response to address the issues and concerns raised in both a letter and at a face-to-face meeting about the proposed centre for asylum seekers at Linton-on-Ouse.
“Regardless of the lack of information and consultation, HDC has taken several actions in response to the Government’s proposal.”
He said the council has served a Planning Contravention Notice (PCN) on the Home Office, which formally requests specific information from the Home Office so it as a council, can determine whether the Home Office plans for the asylum seekers centre at Linton-on-Ouse, breaches planning control.
The Home Office is required to respond to this request by providing the requested information by tomorrow.
The council leader added: “We also continue to seek legal advice around a potential legal challenge.
“Today we have sent the Home Office a pre action protocol letter as a necessary step to any potential legal action and in a further attempt to secure the information we urgently need to allow the Council to properly respond to the proposal, assess service, community and financial implications, and take relevant action.
“This letter outlines why we feel the Home Office may have acted unlawfully in their intention to use the site at Linton-on-Ouse as a centre for asylum seekers, highlights the adverse impact on the Council, its taxpayers and communities and requires the Homes Office to justify its position.
“In addition to this, HDC is this week assessing the Home Office’s conclusion that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not needed for the site. Our development management team is currently in consultation with our legal team in terms of whether an EIA is needed, and we will respond to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with the outcome of our assessment, by the end of this week.
“Local councillors continue to support and be in dialogue with the local community, on both a one-to-one basis and in their attendance at community meetings, and we remain committed to supporting the local community and those living in the surrounding areas and providing transparent and timely updates as appropriate.”
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