Petition Update: Official MOD Response Received – We Have a Deadline, Now We Need Action!

We have received an official response from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) regarding the proposed use of the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site for asylum accommodation.

In their letter (Ref: TO2026/16782), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) made a critical confirmation: they are not prioritising asylum accommodation over local housing, and any potential Home Office use is strictly bound to the planned sale of the site to North Yorkshire Council in three years' time.

What This Means for Our Campaign

This confirmation gives us major leverage. The MOD has publicly tied the site's future to local community housing. However, "temporary" accommodation plans frequently run the risk of timeline creep and extension requests from the Home Office. We cannot allow the Home Office to stall the site's transfer or overwhelm local public services.

We need to make sure the MOD holds the line.

Call to Action: Lobby the MOD and Secretary of State for Defence

We are calling on every supporter to email the Ministry of Defence and the Secretary of State for Defence today. We must demand that they either withdraw the site entirely or explicitly commit to rejecting any attempt by the Home Office to extend use beyond the three-year mark.

How You Can Help:

Send an email directly to the MOD Secretariat (diosec-parli@mod.gov.uk) and copy in your local MP and the Secretary of State for Defence.

Use the template text below to make your voice heard.

Subject: Urgent: RAF Linton-on-Ouse Site Plan (Ref: TO2026/16782)

Dear Secretary of State for Defence,

I am writing regarding recent correspondence from the DIO confirming that MOD land at Linton-on-Ouse is slated for sale to North Yorkshire Council in three years for local housing.

I urge you to immediately withdraw this site from Home Office consideration, or at a minimum, give a firm, binding commitment to reject any request from the Home Office to extend temporary asylum accommodation beyond the stated three-year window.

Our community infrastructure and long-term local housing needs must be prioritized as promised.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Postcode]

Please take two minutes to send your email today and share this petition update with friends, family, and local community groups. Let’s hold them to their word!