Plans to accommodate asylum seekers in a row of new homes in the Shropshire village of Stoke Heath have been suspended following significant local opposition. The proposal involved housing between 83 and 121 asylum seekers across 21 properties on Dutton Close, a recently constructed street with homes valued at around £250,000 each.

The initiative was part of the UK government’s broader strategy to phase out the use of migrant hotels by 2029 and relocate asylum seekers into residential properties and former military sites. The street was initially intended for social housing but was reassigned by the Home Office contractor Serco to house asylum seekers, prompting strong objections from local residents.

Community members expressed frustration at the decision, particularly given ongoing housing pressures in the region. Tony Jones, a retired soldier from Shropshire, criticized the allocation of homes to asylum seekers while local military families and other vulnerable residents remain without accommodation. “Shropshire Council have 44 military families with no home — why can’t they give the houses to them? Or why isn’t anyone homeless being moved in?” Jones said.

One family who had briefly lived in one of the homes before being relocated reported experiencing harassment and abuse, which contributed to their decision to leave.

In response to the controversy, the government announced it has halted the plans to use the new-build properties for asylum accommodation. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that the proposal had been dropped and emphasized a commitment to preventing new housing developments from being repurposed for asylum seeker housing in the future. The spokesperson noted that earlier measures introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood established processes to ensure that new-build sites would no longer be considered for this use.

The decision marks a notable reversal amid ongoing tensions over the government's approach to housing asylum seekers, highlighting the challenges of balancing community concerns with immigration policy objectives.