THE new Home Secretary is being urged to formally confirm that the asylum seeker plans for a former RAF base near York have been abandoned.

The call has come from Thirsk & Malton Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, who says local residents and councillors are increasingly concerned about a lack of formal acknowledgement that the former RAF Linton on Ouse base will not be used as a asylum seeker reception centre.

He has written to Suella Braverman to say the Home Office had announced such plans for the base back in April.

"Along with residents, I was delighted when the Defence Secretary announced in August that the plans had been scrapped, following a tireless local campaign," he said.

"Since the Defence Secretary#s announcement, there has been growing concern amongst local residents and parish and local councillors about the lack of formal acknowledgement of cancellation.

He said he understood that Linton on Ouse Parish Council had been in contact with the Home Office to request such a document, but one had not been produced.

"As you can understand, the relief felt by many in the village is waning due to the lack of a tangible announcement," he said.

"Moreover, there does not appear to be any clear signs of what the base will now be used for, a matter I have pressed the Ministry of Defence on.

"I would be most grateful if you could provide a formal document outlining confirmation that the proposed plans have been scrapped."

Mr Hollinrake told The Press that many constituents had rightly raised concerns about a lack of formal cancellation.

"While the Defence Secretary announced the plans were scrapped back in July, I have yet to receive an official confirmation, nor any suggestion on what the site may now be used for," he said.

"This lack of clarity naturally leaves residents in Linton-on-Ouse and the surrounding area extremely concerned."

He said he had therefore written to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary to request a formal response. 

"I will press for a swift response and update constituents as soon as I have more information," he added.

The announcement of the proposals in April led to a storm of protest from local residents.

The Home Office said the site would house 1,500 ‘destitute single adult male asylum seekers’ for up to six months while their asylum applications were processed.

It said that the centre would provide safe and secure accommodation and would be designed to be self-sufficient to reduce the need for the inhabitants to leave the site and therefore minimise any impact on the local community.

But campaigners said it was the 'wrong plan, wrong place,' and packed out public meetings and staged demonstrations against the proposals.