Campsfield expansion faces sewage and capacity objections before inquiry

Plans to expand Campsfield House immigration removal centre in Oxfordshire face objections over the proximity of new accommodation to sewage infrastructure. Thames Water has warned that proposed secure blocks about 20 metres from a pumping station could expose occupants to odour, insects, noise, vibration and maintenance lighting.

The Home Office wants to increase capacity from 160 beds to 400 and convert existing buildings at the site near Kidlington. The centre reopened in December 2025 after closing in 2018. The proposal is not a completed expansion: written representations are due to be considered at a public inquiry beginning on 14 December.

Thames Water's submissions also raise questions about capacity in foul-water, surface-water and water-supply networks. An earlier consultation response called for an impact study to determine whether development could overload existing infrastructure and contribute to sewage flooding. These are identified planning risks, not a finding that a new flood has occurred.

Oxfordshire County Council has formally opposed the expansion and called for permanent closure. Right to Remain said the sewage concerns raised questions about sanitation and dignity. The Refugee Council urged the government to use community-based alternatives, arguing that detention is damaging and expensive and should be a last resort.

The Home Office said it remained confident in its plans and would engage with the Planning Inspectorate. It said additional detention capacity was part of its effort to remove people with no right to remain in the UK. Thames Water said it had nothing to add to its written response.