THE first asylum seekers have been moved onto Wethersfield Airfield as the High Court has heard at the start of three bids to bring legal action over plans to house them on airbases.

Braintree Council brought legal action against the Home Office over the proposed use of the redundant RAF airfield to accommodate up to 1,700 male asylum seekers for up to 180 days each under emergency powers.

This morning, lawyers for the council asked for the green light to bring a full legal challenge against the proposals at the High Court in London, along with West Lindsey  Council in Lincolnshire, and Wethersfield resident Gabriel Clarke-Holland.

Alex Goodman KC, for Mr Clarke-Holland, told the hearing: “This morning the first number of asylum seekers have been moved onto the site.”

Last month, Braintree Council lost a Court of Appeal challenge over Government plans to house asylum seekers at the Wethersfield site.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD)-owned land was one of the sites identified when immigration minister Robert Jenrick unveiled plans in March to house asylum seekers in disused military bases to reduce reliance on hotels.

The local authority’s lawyers asked a judge to grant it an injunction preventing the use of the 6.5-hectare site, arguing proposals would breach planning control.

But, in a ruling in April, a High Court judge concluded the court did not have the legal power to grant the council’s application and struck out the bid, ruling in favour of the Home Office.

In June, the council brought a challenge to the Court of Appeal and argued the High Court judge – Mr Justice Waksman – had the power to make an injunction.

However, in a judgment, three judges dismissed the appeal.