Residents in Stoke Heath, Shropshire, say they are planning to oppose a scheme that would place around 83 asylum-seeking individuals into 21 homes on the estate.
Concerns about the development — which some locals have nicknamed “Migrant Street” — have been raised with both the Government and Shropshire Council by the local MP.
Emma O’Sullivan, a mother of three, told The Sun: “We were told the new development would be social housing, which was fine, but no one moved in for a year.
“Now we’re being told they will be used for asylum seekers and not social housing at all. We feel like we’ve been misled.
“I’ve got three teenage girls and we’re really worried. It’s not who they are, it’s how many there are. It’ll overload the infrastructure.”
Some residents have also expressed concern that more asylum-seeking families could be moved into the area.
Kevin Plews told the BBC: “We’re not against people being housed, but if it was just four families it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s 121 people coming.”
Another resident, Samantha Waters, said: “I’m absolutely terrified, to be honest.
“I’m scared for myself, other people on the estate and the children. It feels like we’re going to become prisoners in our own homes.”
One local described the plans as “bang out of order”, questioning why new-build homes worth around £250,000 were being used in this way.
“It doesn’t feel fair that these people will be living in shiny new homes free of charge, which hardworking local people could never afford,” the resident said.
On Monday, Mark Pritchard, Conservative MP for The Wrekin, called on Immigration Minister Alex Norris to meet him to discuss the plans, warning of serious concerns.
“People are being kept in the dark. There has been secrecy — no consultation and no transparency. People have a right to know what is going on,” he said in the Commons.
Mr Norris said he was aware of the issue and would meet the MP to discuss it.
Mr Pritchard had previously raised the matter with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy at PMQs on June 17, warning that housing migrants in Stoke Heath could amount to a “35 per cent increase in the population over a matter of weeks”.
Shropshire Council has also written to the Home Secretary to express “strong concerns” about the site and is awaiting a response before deciding on further action.
Serco, the contractor responsible for housing asylum seekers in the region, said it operates under Home Office direction on where people are placed.
A Home Office spokesperson said the Government was “restoring order to the system” by increasing asylum decisions, reducing claims, and speeding up removals, while also working to reduce reliance on hotels by using larger accommodation sites.
