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Date submitted

18 July 2026

Submitted by

Interested party

Objection to Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre expansion (CROWN/2026/0000004) Dear Planning Inspectorate, I am writing to object to the proposed expansion of Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre (application reference CROWN/2026/0000004). I live and work in Oxford, where I lead a research group at the University of Oxford. I travel through the Langford Lane area regularly and have watched the pace of development there increase substantially over recent years. I am concerned that this proposal would represent another significant intensification of development in an area that is already under considerable pressure, and that the case for doing so has not been convincingly made. My principal concern is the impact on the Green Belt. The proposal would almost triple the built floorspace on the site, introduce accommodation blocks substantially taller than the existing buildings, and add extensive fencing, lighting, parking and other infrastructure. Whatever terminology is used, this remains Green Belt land, and I do not believe the application demonstrates that the resulting loss of openness is justified. The Home Office argues that the site should be considered “grey belt”, but that does not remove the need to show that the development is genuinely necessary or that the harm to the Green Belt is outweighed by clear public benefit. I also find the evidence for the expansion unconvincing. The application asks the public to accept that Campsfield should increase from 160 to 400 places, yet it does not clearly explain why this particular expansion is needed, why this location is appropriate, or what alternatives have been considered. As a scientist, I am used to decisions being supported by transparent evidence. In this case, I do not think the evidence presented is sufficient to justify development of this scale on protected land. The Planning Inspectorate should also consider the cumulative impact of this proposal. The Langford Lane corridor has already seen substantial housing, commercial and science-related development, alongside activity associated with Oxford Airport. Local roads are frequently congested, and there are increasing pressures on infrastructure and public services. This application should not be assessed in isolation, but in the context of the broader changes taking place across the area. I am particularly concerned that important planning information has been withheld from public scrutiny. While I appreciate that genuinely security-sensitive material may need to remain confidential, significant elements relating to the layout, transport, landscaping and lighting have been redacted. It is difficult for members of the public to assess the true planning impacts of a proposal when key information is unavailable. That lack of transparency is especially troubling given that this application is being considered through the Crown Development process rather than the normal local planning route. Finally, although I recognise that this is a planning consultation, I believe it is important to acknowledge the wider consequences of expanding immigration detention. Increasing detention capacity is not simply a matter of constructing additional buildings. It has real impacts on individuals, families and the wider community, including the organisations and public services that support people affected by detention. Those broader impacts reinforce the need for careful scrutiny before such a substantial expansion is approved. For all of these reasons, I ask the Planning Inspectorate to refuse application CROWN/2026/0000004. If the application is not refused following this consultation, I request that it proceeds to a full public inquiry so that the evidence underpinning the proposal—including its impact on the Green Belt, local infrastructure, cumulative development and the justification for the expansion—can be examined openly and rigorously. Yours faithfully, Azim Ansari 18 July 2026 P.S. I would like to attend a hearing if one is scheduled.