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Date submitted

12 July 2026

Submitted by

Interested party

I am opposed to the proposed expansion of the Campsfield House IRC for a number of reasons. Generally I think IRC’s are both uneconomic and inhumane. They are uneconomic because many people detained are released back to into the community within a short period so there was no point detaining them. They are inhumane because detention is an extremely traumatic experience for people who are seeking sanctuary in the UK having fled persecution. It is particularly stressful when it’s not clear if/when they will be released. The experience can make it hard for them to develop trust in the UK. With regard to this specific proposal the development would more than double the size of Campsfield from 160 to 400 places on Green Belt land. I am worried that will add pressure on local services e.g the NHS and have a negative impact on the Green Belt land. This is a permanent development on protected land but it is not clear why the additional places are needed. There are well researched examples of community based alternatives to detention which as well being economically viable are more humane. Key information appears to have been withheld including details of how th site would operate and layout. This makes it both difficult to assess how feasible the proposal is and it’s impact.