Govt announces Ukrainian style scheme to bring thousands more migrants to UK

That’s where the rage-baiting in the media and the truth, whatever it turns out to be, seem to part company. Interviewees seem to think this was a development of social housing when it never was, bar the 12% S106 provision, which has now been removed for lack of interest from housing associations.

I think anyone would be hard pressed to make the case that this area is high density. The close of houses is in a very rural and sparsely populated area and 10 km from the town of Market Drayton.

I imagine any poor family allocated a roof over their head would be grateful for that roof but it doesn’t remove the argument of whether it is suitable to locate a large number of families who are either in the process of seeking asylum (in which case they are prohibited from working) or have been granted asylum and now need to find work and access to local services in such a rural and sparsely-populated place. It is fair to ask why this is being done and for transparency over the process.

The business of the Kent-based brothers who run this development company are described in Companies House records as engaged in buying and selling of own real estate and other letting and operating of own or leased real estate.

There are questions to be asked about whether this predominantly private development was ever destined to be offered for sale on the open market or whether it has long been slated as housing to help other regions reduce their waiting lists, irrespective of whether the area is suitable for all concerned including the new tenants.

No doubt we will know more after the MP Mark Pritchard has held his public meeting, tomorrow 2 July.

It stands to reason people who've spent years on a waiting list are going to be angry.

Maremia

Graphite, you are a 🌟
So, it would appear that, despite chronic housing shotrages, nobody seems to want these homes, but hey, let's not allow asylum seekers to have them.

No, let's allow them to have them and plaster it all over the news to fan the flames of hatred.

Graphite, you are a 🌟
So, it would appear that, despite chronic housing shotrages, nobody seems to want these homes, but hey, let's not allow asylum seekers to have them.

She was grateful to have a roof over their heads, just as migrants should be.

I'm sure that migrants would be very grateful, too. But you make it very clear that you don't want them here at all. Grateful or not...

It is not unusual for developers to build houses in out of the way places. I know a young couple with a baby and a toddler who were living with her parents in very cramped conditions for a few years. They were allocated a new build house in a village with no shops, no bus route, no amenities and 6 miles to the nearest town. Obviously they accepted it but she is totally cut off during the day as her husband needs the car for work. She was grateful to have a roof over their heads, just as migrants should be.

Land mass is difficult to argue, on that we can agree?

It’s illogical. The costs to the governments are the same. I’m not going to argue about it.

Population density? France is twice the geographical size of the UK with a similar population.
Is life in France so terrible? Plus of course France is still in the EU, so it’s possible for funding to accommodate asylum seekers as part of an EU wide approach.
Population density is key.

Sunshinegirls

If you or your family were born in a war torn country wouldn't any normal person be glad they were in a safe country in Europe ie France, Germany perhaps but no they pay a smuggling gang thousands of euros to take a dangerous small boat crossing across the English Channel putting their childrens life at risk. Cries of shame on you and calling people racist who are not racist will not wash anymore British citizens are finding life hard and this and other schemes like free housing etc etc are unfair people have had enough.

This is such an illogical response, why would anybody think that it’s okay for migrants who are aiming to reach the UK to be palmed off on a country they want to pass through, which already takes more migrants than the UK? Why would we stuff our neighbours and allies, who are already facing the same issues.

It's almost as if, along with the use of Hotels, this scheme has been deliberately set up to provoke more antagonism.

If you or your family were born in a war torn country wouldn't any normal person be glad they were in a safe country in Europe ie France, Germany perhaps but no they pay a smuggling gang thousands of euros to take a dangerous small boat crossing across the English Channel putting their childrens life at risk. Cries of shame on you and calling people racist who are not racist will not wash anymore British citizens are finding life hard and this and other schemes like free housing etc etc are unfair people have had enough.

Thanks Graphite these stories are never what they are purported to be by the media, but why spoil a good story by printing the truth? It is a much better solution having families in a house rather than in a hotel room. It's temporary accommodation until their asylum claim has been processed but clearly wouldn't work as permanent housing or they would have been taken over by a housing association.
There seems to be people who want to see children, who have already had difficult traumatic lives, continue to live in completely unsuitable accommodation. Shame on you, these families with children have committed no crime apart from being born into a country at war or governed by violent repressive regimes, surely a few months respite in decent housing is not too much to offer them?

I did a bit more digging on this.

Dutton Close is in a very rural location. Shropshire council says the existing houses were built for military personnel stationed at RAF Tern Hill and their families.

An old Google map image from 2009. predating the development, shows some low boarded-up buildings. According to Shropshire council this was a derelict social club.

The site was deemed 25% brownfield suitable for 9 dwellings and the remaining 75% greenfield for the remaining 16. In planning documents the site is called The Club.

Planning permission for 25 houses was originally given in 2016 to include three units of social housing under S106.

Development began in 2022. The original developers went bust and the current developers took over the project and the debt in 2023. Why it has taken three years to get the houses built in not known.

In March 2026, Shropshire council removed the S106 requirement after the developers provided evidence that despite the applicant approaching several Housing Associations, three units fell below the threshold of interest for any Housing Association contacted.

I cannot find any evidence that the 25 homes have ever been offered for sale on the open market.

The close is in the middle of nowhere and seems an unsuitable place for any families needing to find local work and school places. It doesn’t even look at if there is a local shop. Without a car to get into Market Drayton, it would be very isolated. It’s perhaps why the developer would find it hard to sell the homes and has done a deal with a Home Office agency to either sell or lease them.

20:23*foxie*48

France perhaps or numerous countries they have crossed to get here, why cross in a small boat to England oh for a nice new house.

Maremia

People are so desperate for homes, so what is actually going on with this particular development?

I wonder if they have built ‘executive’ houses on an unsuitable site, and priced them too high accordingly. Maybe would be executive home owners would object to social housing on their exclusive estate so the developers are trying to say it’s not necessary! Just a guess.

Primrose53

Maremia

Will be interesting to see who will live in them now.
Such a shame for the couple who were given that house.

Would be good if these new builds were given to veterans.

Why?

People are so desperate for homes, so what is actually going on with this particular development?

And yes, Graphite.

Casdon, that is exactly the point.
Just give the houses to anyone, whether or not they are suitable for those people.

It’s odd that a development of 25 houses that began in 2022 is still not finished according to local residents. It does sound like the original developer went bust three years ago so that will have contributed to the delay but doesn’t explain why the development looks well advanced 15 months ago but is still unoccupied.

I can see that the original planning application for 25 houses was approved ten years ago in 2016.

In March of this year, the current developers O'Shea reapplied for a deed of variation to a Section 106 agreement so that they did not have to include three affordable homes. I’ve picked out a few key extracts from the application:

Now that the build is near completion …

.. despite the applicant approaching several Housing Associations, three units fell below the threshold of interest for any Housing Association contacted.

The appellant has made several attempts to contact Housing Associations, both before the commencement of development and more recently, without an offer being received.

As such, this application for a deed of variation to the Section 106 agreement attached to the planning permission to delete ‘Section 1 Affordable Housing Dwellings’ from the Third Schedule ought to be approved so that no on-site affordable dwellings are required.

You can see the planning statement here:

pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=TBFWWXTDGV900

News reports say the properties were originally understood by villagers to be affordable or social housing and a whole estate’s worth of social housing will be given to foreign nationals ...

but it appears that was not the case that this was primarily a development of houses for sale and that only three “S106” homes were going to be included, but housing associations showed no interest.

Until the meeting takes place on 2 July we won’t know what has happened here, why the developers may have decided not to sell the homes on the open market.

As I said before, more to this than meets the eye and not as it is being represented in the media.

I think it would be unkind to veterans to put them in poorly built houses which are prone to flooding, on an estate in a rural area. Those who find themselves homeless are often single men with difficulty adjusting to civilian life, who need help to find local employment, and access to mental health support.

Maremia

Will be interesting to see who will live in them now.
Such a shame for the couple who were given that house.

Would be good if these new builds were given to veterans.

Jaxjacky

Sorry Primrose I get fed up with our media and click bait on many subjects that requires digging to find the facts.

Thank you Jaxjacky just seen your apology.

Will be interesting to see who will live in them now.
Such a shame for the couple who were given that house.