Senior police leaders have asked the Home Office to reconsider the speed of plans to convert an RAF site in Suffolk into asylum accommodation, warning that an accelerated timetable could have significant operational consequences for forces across the Eastern region.
Urgent appeal over RAF Barnham timetable
The appeal was made in a three-page letter published by West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy and addressed to Sarah Jones, Minister of State for Policing and Crime. It was signed by Rachel Kearton, Chief Constable of Suffolk, and Paul Sanford, Chief Constable of Norfolk. The site in question is RAF Barnham, a Ministry of Defence estate which the two forces currently lease and use as a specialist operations training facility.
According to the letter, the Home Office's Asylum Accommodation Team is assessing the MoD-owned site for use as asylum housing. The constabularies say notice was given in April and that discussions have included expectations that police would vacate within weeks — a timeline they consider unworkable.
Police chiefs urged the Home Office to "urgently reconsider" the speed of the plans and described proposed deadlines as "unrealistic".
Training capacity and relocation concerns
The constabularies stress that RAF Barnham is used not only by Suffolk and Norfolk but also by other forces across the Eastern region. They say losing the facility without a managed transition would disrupt established specialist training programmes and compromise operational resilience.
In their correspondence the chiefs indicate that a four- to six-month period would be required to vacate safely, secure an alternative site and move crucial training activities without affecting frontline policing. They also note that the forces had been negotiating to buy the site from the MoD as recently as June.
- Site: RAF Barnham (MoD-owned)
- Signatories: Chief Constables Rachel Kearton and Paul Sanford
- Requested transition period: four to six months
What this means locally
For local communities across Norfolk and Suffolk, specialist training supports capabilities ranging from firearms and public order to search and technical operations. An abrupt loss of a regional training hub risks delays in courses, reduced availability of essential exercises, and pressure on alternative facilities that may already be scheduled.
| Issue | Police position |
|---|---|
| Notice served | April (per recent discussions) |
| Police requested exit period | Four to six months |
| Suggested eviction month mentioned | September |
The Home Office and the Ministry of Defence have not published a joint timetable in the material released with the letter. Local MPs and police leaders will now be seeking clarity from ministers on how accommodation needs for asylum seekers will be balanced with maintaining policing capability.
Any decision on RAF Barnham will have to reconcile national asylum arrangements with regional policing requirements. For residents and organisations that rely on the training provided at the site, the priority will be securing a transition plan that preserves essential capabilities while meeting wider government obligations.
Ethan Green, Bury Correspondent
