Angry Residents Did Something Unexpected After Learning £280k New Homes Would House Asylum Seekers

A plan to move asylum seekers into a row of newly built homes in the small village of Stoke Heath, Shropshire, has been paused after strong opposition from local residents. The proposal had caused widespread concern, with many people saying the quiet rural community was not the right place for such a large accommodation scheme.

The plan involved using 21 newly built houses in Dutton Close, each valued at around £250,000, to accommodate between 83 and 121 asylum seekers. Local people nicknamed the road “Migrant Street” after learning about the proposal. The homes had originally been expected to become social housing, but they were later taken over by Serco, a company contracted by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

The proposal formed part of the Government’s wider plan to reduce the use of hotels for asylum seekers by 2029 and instead house people in residential properties and former military sites across the country. However, many Stoke Heath residents argued that their small village lacked the services and infrastructure needed to support such a large number of new arrivals.

Following weeks of public criticism and local campaigning, the Government has now paused the scheme. The decision came shortly before residents attended a public meeting with their local Conservative MP, Mark Pritchard, who had already described the location as completely unsuitable for the proposal.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Pritchard said the asylum seekers who had already been placed in the development had been moved elsewhere. He also confirmed that the entire project would now be reviewed before any further decisions are made.

The announcement has given many residents fresh hope that the homes could instead be used for local families in need of social housing, as originally planned. Resident Tonia Roberts said people finally felt there was some optimism after previously believing the scheme would definitely go ahead. She explained that the village simply does not have the facilities needed to support such a large group of asylum seekers and said the location is isolated, with limited access to shops, schools and other essential services.

Another resident, Kevin Plews, welcomed the decision to review the plans, saying he was pleased the Government had listened to local concerns. However, not everyone is convinced the proposal has been abandoned permanently. Local resident John Getty said he remains sceptical and believes campaigners should continue opposing the scheme until a final decision is made.

The debate also affected one asylum-seeking family who had already been placed in one of the new homes. Muhammad Nadeem, his wife Shamaila and their four children, who fled Pakistan and arrived in the UK around two years ago, were later moved from the property.

Mr Nadeem said the location was not suitable for his family because it was too remote. He explained that he suffers from diabetes and back pain and said they struggled with the lack of nearby jobs, shops and schools. He also said the family no longer felt safe after receiving abuse and that security guards had been placed outside the property before they were relocated.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said newly built homes should not be used to accommodate asylum seekers. The department said new rules introduced earlier this year were designed to prevent developments like Stoke Heath from being selected in the future. Officials added that the Stoke Heath proposal had been approved before those new procedures came into effect, which is why it had initially been considered for asylum accommodation.