The total cost for the Home Office to decommission the site will be reported in the end of the financial year departmental accounts which will be submitted to Parliament.
Last updated: 07 March 2025
Current position
Following a visit to Dame Angela Eagle MP, Minister of State at the Home Office, at the end of February 2025, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Trevor Young, and Deputy Leader, Cllr Lesley Rollings, met with her to discuss the future of the former RAF Scampton site.
West Lindsey District Council has submitted an expression of interest to buy the site with no other expressions received from the public sector.
The council is working closely with the Home Office on the disposal strategy, ensuring that value for money remains a key priority given the level of expenditure involved.
Sir Edward Leigh MP and Hamish Falconer MP as also at the meeting in February.
In September 2024, the Home Office made the decision to end plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Scampton.
Opening the site as originally planned would have cost a total of £122 million by the end of its use in 2027, meaning the site no longer represented value for money as an asylum accommodation centre.
A total of £60 million has already been spent on the site by the Home Office. In addition, the estimated costs of opening the site and running it from Autumn 2024 until the end of planned occupancy in March 2027 had risen to a further £122m, taking the total cost for using this single site for a short time as asylum accommodation to at least £180m.
The site is still in ownership of the Home Office, and they have committed to engage with the local authority on the impact of this decision on the in principle agreement for dual use.
Work to close the site has started and the sale of the site will happen in line with the process for disposing of Crown land.
West Lindsey District Council remains committed to working with Scampton Holdings Limited to realise the potential of the site. The council will continue to engage with the Home Office on its intention to purchase the site.
The council is working with the Home Office to ensure any works already completed on site can be decommissioned and removed sensitively to protect the important heritage of the site.
Frequently asked questions
accordion | RAF Scampton frequently asked questions
How much money will the Scampton closure cost?
What does this mean for the development of the site?
We are working with the Home Office as they decommission the site to protect the heritage of the site. We remain committed to working with Scampton Holdings Limited to realise our plans for developing the site with opportunities for business, community, heritage and tourism.
Who is responsible for the site currently?
The site is owned by the Home Office. They are fully responsible for the site together with some of the community assets.
Who is responsible for security on the site?
The Home Office is responsible for security of the site including the site permitter, building security and staff working on site. The Home Office will continue to have staff presence on site as they complete decommissioning work.
How long will it take the Home Office to decommission the site?
The timeline for this work has not yet been disclosed by the Home Office.
How long will it take for the sale of the site to be completed?
The timeline for this work has not yet been disclosed by the Home Office. We are keen to understand the disposal strategy and to ensure that we can work with the Home Office with the intention to purchase the site and work with Scampton Holdings Limited in order to deliver the planned investment and regeneration.
Who else is West Lindsey District Council engaging with?
We are working closely with Scampton Parish Council, Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire Police. Working with the parish council we will be identifying community assets and how best to protect them. We are also working with Historic England to ensure the heritage on site is protected by the Home Office. West Lindsey District Council and Scampton Holdings Limited continue to work together closely in order to ensure that we are in a good position to work with the Home Office once the disposal strategy is announced.
How will you engage with the community?
We will keep this webpage updated with new information. We will keep in contact with partners and stakeholders through our regular communications channels. Council officers are developing future communication and engagement opportunities for residents.
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