Drones, CCTV and turf wars: Blocking migrants isn’t the first – or last – battle for Piddington’s nimbys

As Susannah Parden, the vice-chair of Piddington Parish Council, triumphantly declared the result of the village’s independence “referendum” to leave the UK, there appeared a mischievous glint in her eye.

Stirred up by a plan for a nearby camp housing 1,250 asylum seekers, this sleepy Oxfordshire community has achieved what no other mainland village, town or city had done before – albeit a status that is merely symbolic.

Described as a “plucky idea” by parish council chairman Tim McNally, the creation of “the Principality of Piddington” steamrolled from a meeting in the village hall two months ago to a landmark vote that has not only attracted overwhelming villager support, but also the world’s media.

In the week after anti-migrant protests by balaclava-clad men in Dover and Portsmouth, this campaign, run with pictures of largely white families and children in school uniforms, looks and feels different.

But some of the anti-migrant resentment appears equally shared.

“Would anyone feel comfortable in this [village] park if it was right next to an asylum camp full of people they didn’t know?” parish councillor Michael Nixon told The Telegraph. “I’m not so sure. I mean, this would be the nearest public space for these men to come to, and we do have fears about what they’d do here.”

Similar concerns were raised by a 133-member strong group of women in the village who claimed “our safety, our security and our freedoms will be under threat”.

A pennant reading “Battle of Britain 2026” has now been hung outside the village hall – but this fight is nothing new for the tiny village with no shop, cafe or bar.

Granted, a plan to house asylum seekers at a nearby former military base has never been fought by its residents before.

However, a flick through minutes of the parish council’s monthly meetings reveals residents facing one battle after another; from concerns about a nearby traveller site, lorries using the area’s narrow lanes and even plans for a historic theme park around six miles away.

Mr Nixon has insisted that gaining independence “isn’t nimbyism” – but has Piddington always been following a nimby [not in my back yard] ideology?

Most striking from the council meetings, perhaps, was when a resident of the next village of Arncott asked for permission to use the sports field to exercise their dogs in July last year. The response? “After discussion it was agreed that the sports field should remain for the use of Piddington residents only,” the minutes read.

Then, in June this year, councillors looked to go a step further and agreed to explore enhancing the security of the perimeter fence of the sports field.

Like in so many small rural communities, traveller sites are also a concern. Nearby, next to the RAF base where the asylum centre would be opened, is Widnell Lane traveller site where councillors were told there were “now 21 caravans on the site despite permission having only been granted for six” last month.

The community is now waiting on an update from the district council planning enforcement team, a month after it was agreed to send them copies of drone footage.

Those passing through the village have also felt the wrath of residents.

The driver of an “extremely large delivery lorry” was spotted in the village, photographed and then challenged. He explained he had taken the route after coming to a bridge at another nearby village that was too low for his vehicle.

“The clerk was asked to request Oxford County Council improve their signage of the low bridge”, was the resolution councillors agreed.

And if the asylum centre plans to go-ahead, councillors also agreed to look at installing “high poles for CCTV coverage”.

Even issues around six miles away have come under the radar. When plans were submitted for a historical theme park north of Bicester by Puy du Fou, the council agreed to object on the grounds it would have a “detrimental effect on all traffic in the Bicester area”.

On Wednesday, however, the story was very much in Piddington.

In a week when shadow home secretary Chris Philp and shadow minister for women and equalities Joy Morrissey both joined villagers in support ahead of their independence bid, the question now ultimately is what difference it will all make.

“We have given an absolute message, not just to the region, not just to the country, but to the world,” said Mr McNally after the results came in on Tuesday night.

Reacting to the story on Wednesday morning, Andy Burnham said he understood the “strength of feeling” across the country about migration, but said Labour had made a commitment to end the use of hotels to house refugees and asylum seekers.

He said: “I will look at the issues being raised by the community and in the referendum, but we have to ensure that we have a fair plan, as well as getting the numbers down, and the numbers are coming now significantly now.”