The government is pressing ahead with plans to accommodate asylum seekers at former military sites despite significant opposition from some local communities. Home Office minister Anna Turley said disused defence properties provide more secure, contained accommodation with facilities already available, while helping ministers fulfil their commitment to end the use of hotels. Two sites are already operating in Essex and East Sussex, with three more proposed in Oxfordshire, Suffolk and North Yorkshire. However, residents and local leaders have raised concerns that smaller communities lack the infrastructure to accommodate large numbers of asylum seekers. In Piddington, Oxfordshire, plans to house more than 1,000 people near a village of around 400 residents have prompted protests and even a symbolic referendum on leaving the UK. Campaigners say consultation has been inadequate, while ministers insist alternative accommodation will reduce costs and limit disruption. The government is also considering former industrial sites and student accommodation as it seeks longer-term solutions to asylum housing.