North Yorkshire Council has urged the government to reconsider plans to house up to 1,250 single adult male asylum seekers at an ex RAF base. Cllr Carl Les urged ministers to reconsider, describing the plans as “the wrong proposal in the wrong location”.

The plans would see asylum seekers housed in the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse site, near York. In a letter sent to Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley, Cllr Les told how there was “a clear and strongly held view that the proposal should not proceed”, across the council’s political spectrum.

He wrote: “We fully recognise the government’s stated obligations towards those seeking asylum. Our concerns are not directed at asylum seekers themselves, nor do they diminish the need for a fair, humane and effective asylum system.”

The councillor said the village does not have the infrastructure needed to accommodate a development of this size, pointing to a shortage of amenities, services, jobs and support networks, as well as rural roads prone to flooding and disruption.

He added that the site’s remote location was unlikely to support the wellbeing or integration of either residents or asylum seekers, due to “limited public transport, lack of employment opportunities and essential services, restricted access to services and absence of established support networks”, York Press reported.

Cllr Les wrote: “We do not believe that accommodating large numbers of asylum seekers in such a remote environment represents best practice or serves their short or long-term interests.”

The letter continued: “Questions remain about the practicality of securing a site of this size and complexity”, as it pointed out shortfalls in safeguarding planning “to protect both local residents and the wider community, and the inhabitants of the site itself”.

Local villagers have also expressed concern about the impact on the wider area, highlighting the size of the proposed settlement and expressing frustration at a purported lack of information given to residents.

Resident Howard Cooper told the BBC: “Probably only 300 men live in the village at the moment and you’re looking at putting five times that on a site close by.”

The government has said activities and transport would be provided to minimise the impact on local communities, but Cooper questioned how that would work in practice.

“If you’re going to transport 1,200 people you’re going to need 40 coaches, so that’s 80 movements a day to get people off the base.

“It’s just unworkable and very worrying.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the proposed site “is not appropriate and the government should stop the plan.

She added: “A small village in Yorkshire should not have to deal with that scale. There are only 600 people in that village.”

The letter has generated support from former prime minister and North Yorkshire MP Rishi Sunak, who has “agreed to support this letter and the concerns expressed”.

Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said: “We promised to close every asylum hotel and hand them back to communities, and that is exactly what we are doing.

“Twenty more hotels have closed, and hotel numbers have more than halved since their peak. Instead, we’re moving asylum seekers into ex-military sites that are a far cry from the hotels the last Government left us with.

“This is a system being brought back under control – and we will not stop until the job is done.”

A government spokesperson previously told the BBC: “Discussions over these sites are in an early stage and remain subject to planning permission, feasibility assessments, and due diligence, which will include engagement with local stakeholders and communities.

“No final decisions to proceed will be taken until all necessary arrangements, assessments and approvals are in place and have been properly considered.”