Keep Campsfield Closed

On 28 June, the Home Office announced plans for a new immigration removal centre to be developed on the site of Campsfield House, a former detention centre six miles north of Oxford. A mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, the centre would hold around 400 men and open in late 2023 at the earliest.

As we know from the previous 25 years of Campsfield’s existence, more detention means more years of danger, misery and harm for detainees. Reopening Campsfield would also represent another significant betrayal by a government which committed in 2016 to reducing the number of people in immigration detention.

Immigration detention centres exist all over the UK. Many individuals are locked up in prison-like conditions with no recourse to legal oversight and no indication of how long they will be locked up. The UK remains the only country in Europe without a time limit on detention. Detention is intended as a resource for those awaiting deportation, but its use in the UK includes detention of people later released back into the community.

Despite the government’s commitment to shrink the British detention estate, the Home Office announced on 28th June 2022 that Campsfield House detention centre in Oxfordshire, which closed in 2018, will reopen in late 2023. A mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation, the centre will be designed for around 400 men: foreign national offenders and so-called ‘immigration offenders’ set to be removed from the UK.

We, residents of Oxfordshire who care about human rights and are proud of Oxford’s status as a City of Sanctuary, are appalled by the news that the government intends to reopen Campsfield House as an immigration removal centre.

Get Involved

  1. Encourage others to sign up to the mailing list and/or join the coalition.
  2. Follow us on social media: FacebookTwitterInstagram. Promote our content!
  3. Sign and share our petition here.
  4. If you are part of a group or organization, join us as a member of the campaign.
  5. Ask your MP to support Layla Moran’s Early Day Motion.
  6. Contact your local Councillor(s) if you live in Cherwell District (use this tool to check!). Download and send the model letter here.
  7. For residents of Kidlington: Respond to the government consultation by emailing planning.consultation@cushwake.com (feel free to use our feedback template if helpful).
  8. Share or link to our online leaflet.
  9. Read up on alternatives to detention.
  10. Find out more on the Campsfield Coalition website.

Monthly meeting

The Coalition holds virtual meetings on the first Tuesday of each month. All are very welcome to attend!

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 7th February, 6-7:15pm via Zoom: link here.

Monthly stall

We have a regular stall to raise awareness of the campaign. This happens on the first Saturday of the month in various locations. If you’d like to help with a future stall you can sign up here – thanks!

Our next stall will be on Saturday 4th February