Bicester is back in the news as the town eyes greener growth and a push on affordable housing near the Oxford rail corridor. Population: market town in Cherwell, Oxfordshire, famed for Bicester Village.
The Home Office has earmarked MoD Bicester, Barnham, and Linton-on-Ouse to house about 3,750 asylum seekers. Planning discussions are underway, with Opposition critics warning about local impact. Existing sites at Crowborough and Wethersfield are to be extended, while hotels are being closed as the system shifts away from hotel accommodation.