Huge U-turn on plan to deal with asylum seekers on street dubbed ‘Migrant Street’
Residents in Stoke Heath, Shropshire were angry about proposals to put asylum seekers in a row of £250k newbuild houses. But the plan has now been put on hold
Residents weren’t happy(Image: Anita Maric / SWNS)
A plan to house 83 asylum seekers on a road dubbed ‘Migrant Street’ have been put on hold following a dramatic U-turn. Locals in the remote Shropshire village of Stoke Heath expressed fury that asylum seekers would be living in a row of £250,000 newbuild houses in Dutton Close.
The move came as the Government phases out migrant hotels by 2029 and relocates people into “properties and ex-military sites”. Residents in Stoke Heath were informed 21 new homes would be used to house between 83 and 121 asylum seekers.
The road – dubbed ‘Migrant Street’ by locals – had originally been designated for social housing before Home Office contractor Serco took it over.
Following the backlash in Stoke Heath, the Government has “put a halt” on moving asylum seekers into Dutton Close. The U-turn came minutes before locals attended a meeting with Tory MP Mark Pritchard, who previously said the village was “completely inappropriate” for the scheme.
Mr Pritchard said: “The ones already there have been relocated to another location. The big story is that there is now going to be a review of the whole scheme.”
Resident Tonia Roberts said she was hopeful the newbuild homes would be used for social housing. She said: “We’re just hoping we’ll get a good result. It’s given us some hope I think, whereas before we didn’t have hope.
“It’s not an appropriate place to have these asylum seekers. There’s nothing there. We just cannot facilitate them, quite frankly. The family that were there have moved out. I think they felt a bit nervous about being there on their own.”
Fellow Dutton Close resident Kevin Plews added: “I’m very pleased that it’s going to be under review.” Neighbour John Getty was less optimistic about what he heard.
“No corks are popping yet,” he said. “I think it’s still going to happen. The Government lie every day. We’ve just got to keep fighting it. It’s all we can do.”
A family living in one of the homes before being relocated previously said they were desperate to leave after receiving abuse. Muhammad Nadeem, his wife Shamaila, and their four children fled their native Pakistan two years ago and settled in the UK.
Muhammad, 40, said: “This is no good for us, this place. It’s too rural. I have diabetes and back pain. We now have security guards outside but we don’t feel safe. We don’t want to be here. It is not suitable for us, it is too far for jobs, shops and schools.”
The Home Office said: “New homes should never house asylum seekers. Earlier this year, the Home Secretary introduced robust processes to ensure new-build sites like Stoke Heath can never be considered again.”
The department added that the Stoke Heath development “pre-dated the new processes” introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, initially allowing asylum seekers to be housed there.
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