Home Office revises asylum seeker housing plan in Gronant

Major changes have been made to an asylum seeker housing plan in Gronant following a Home Office review.

According to Clwyd East Labour MP Becky Gittins the Home Office has reconsidered plans to house 13 migrant families at Gronant Institute while they await decisions on their asylum applications.

It is now proposing leasing just three properties on the site and housing no more than three migrant families at the Institute.

“The original approach was for 13 out of the 15 properties to be used,” said Ms  Gittins.

“From the outset, I was clear that while our area should play its part in providing asylum accommodation, the scale of what was happening was not proportionate for a village the size of Gronant, with limited public transport and access to shops and services.

“I asked the Home Office to reconsider its approach and made the case for the situation in Gronant to be looked at again. In response, officials moved quickly to visit the village, view the properties and assess the situation for themselves. Having done so, they have agreed to significantly change their approach.

“There is nobody currently being accommodated at the site. If it is used for asylum accommodation in the future, a maximum of three properties will be used, accommodating no more than three families. The remaining properties will not be used for asylum accommodation.

“I also want to be absolutely clear that the site is designated for families only. It will not be used to accommodate single men or any other group. This is a significant change from the original approach and I believe it represents a much more sensible and appropriate position for Gronant.

“The overwhelming majority of local residents have raised their concerns reasonably and constructively. Unfortunately, we have also seen threats, intimidation and attempts to stoke tensions, much of it involving people who are not from Gronant or the local area. That behaviour has played no part in getting to this position and has no place in our community.

“I want to thank the Home Office for their cooperation and for acting quickly. I am also grateful to Flintshire County Council, Cllr Glyn Banks and Cllr Gina Maddison for their work on this matter and to Government Ministers for their help and responsiveness.”

When the story first came to light, Cllr Banks said that the people of Gronant were happy to play their part in welcoming migrants fleeing persecution and violence, but that it had to be proportionate.

“The community would have welcomed one or two families,” he said at the time. “They understand that people need help and support. Recently some families were given refuge in Mostyn and there were no issues because it was proportional.

“But 13 out of 15 homes on the site is too many.”

Reacting to the news Reform UK Wales Senedd Member for Clwyd Louise Emery said: “Placing asylum seekers in a small village with hardly any services is the wrong action for the village and the wrong action for the very people the UK Government and Welsh Government want to assist.

“As Reform Wales has repeatedly made clear, the Nation of Sanctuary doesn’t work. It is contributing to ridiculous situations like this.”

By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter