Hambleton District Council has welcomed confirmation that plans for a new asylum reception centre will be scrapped.

The plans would have seen more than 1,000 men aged between 18 and 40 housed at a former RAF base in Linton-on-Ouse while their applications were processed.

The Home Office argued that the centre would mean those seeking asylum would no longer be placed in hotels, saving the taxpayer £4.7m a day. However, the council launched a legal challenge against the plans, arguing that there had been a lack of consultation.

In August, it was reported that the Government was about to abandon the plan. The Home Office has now confirmed that it will no longer be going forward with the scheme.

Cllr Mark Robson, leader of Hambleton District Council, said: ‘Today we have finally received a response from the Home Office informing us of their decision not to progress current proposals for the use of the Linton on Ouse site as asylum accommodation.

‘This follows news in August that the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Defence had made a decision to withdraw its offer for the use of the site. Our legal work on this issue will now be drawn to a close.

‘It is an excellent outcome for the residents of Linton-on-Ouse and all those living in the surrounding areas as well as for Hambleton District Council, all of which fought hard to oppose these plans. I believe that had we as a council not intervened with this proposal and challenged the Government when we were first made aware of it, there would have been asylum seekers living on this totally unsuitable site.’