Locals hailed as major ‘Migrant Street’ asylum seeker update issued | UK | News
A government plan to move asylum seekers to a new housing development in a Shropshire village has been put on hold due to pressure from local residents and politicians.
A proposal to house migrants at a newly built site in Stoke Heath has sparked outrage after locals argued the homes should instead be made available to people in the area.
The Express understands that plans to resettle more asylum seekers on the site in the coming days have been paused while ministers review the plan.
Why were the plans stopped?
The proposal first came to light in June when Conservative MP Mark Pritchard raised the issue in the House of Commons.
Mr Pritchard, representing The Wrekin, said the Government had informed him that the plans were under ministerial review.
The Stoke Heath project reportedly comes ahead of new Home Office guidance introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, which advises against housing asylum seekers in new-build properties, which could increase tensions in the community.
Residents discovered 21 properties in the development had been purchased by outsourcing company Serco for use as refugee accommodation, the Express reported on Tuesday.
What did Mark Pritchard say?
Speaking to GB News, Mr Pritchard said: “As a result of pressure from me and pressure from the local church council, and in good faith to them and local residents, the current arrangements to allow more asylum seekers over the next few days have been suspended.
“Asylum seekers who were already present have been relocated so there are no asylum seekers in Stoke Heath at the moment and the Government have told me tonight whether they will be believed or not.
“A senior Home Office official and I have no reason not to believe them is that this plan is being examined by Home Office ministers.”
Labour’s wider asylum plans
Labor has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels before the next General Election, instead hosting asylum seekers in the community and at former military installations.
Earlier this week the Home Office also announced that asylum seekers who start earning money while their claims are being processed will be required to contribute up to £10,000 towards accommodation and support costs.
Channel crossings drop sharply
Separate Home Office figures show the number of migrants arriving after crossing the Channel fell significantly in the first half of the year.
A total of 11,884 people passed from January to the end of June.
This was 41 percent lower than the 19,982 arrivals recorded in the same period in 2025 and 12 percent lower than the 13,489 arrivals recorded in the first six months of 2024.
In April Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood agreed a three-year £662 million deal with France to fund coastal patrols aimed at reducing Channel crossings.
It is also seeking to overhaul the asylum system through reforms aimed at deterring illegal crossings and making it easier to deport people with no right to stay, including proposals to make refugee status temporary.
On Wednesday the National Crime Agency said boats intended for people smuggling gangs operating across the Channel were seized at the Bulgarian border as part of efforts to disrupt the criminal supply chain.
