HOME Office Minister Bev Hughes is being urged to save cash by ditching plans to build the massive Throckmorton asylum centre before making a planning application.

The call was made by Mid-Worcestershire's MP, Peter Luff, after he persuaded the minister to visit the former RAF site in September.

It had been expected that Ms Hughes would not travel to Throckmorton until after a formal application for planning permission had been presented to Wychavon District Council.

But now she has agreed to visit before the planning dossier is submitted.

Mr Luff hopes that she will realise how "inappropriate" the site is and abandon the scheme, saving the district council and Government from spending thousands of pounds on the planning process.

Reality

"The purpose is to show to the Minister just how unsuitable the site is before she commits the Government, the council and the local community to the expense and inconvenience of a public inquiry," he said.

"If seeing the reality on the ground changes her mind, it will be to everyone's advantage, and especially the asylum seekers who would have been housed there.

"The Minister also confirmed that she is looking at alternative models for the asylum centres, including a proposal from the Refugee Council that I support for 'core and cluster' centres.

"These would comprise several smaller units in a town or city with central services."

That would be better for the asylum seekers because they would have access to the services and companionship they need.

"I'm not saying that we are on the verge of a breakthrough, but I'm marginally more hopeful than I was that these new circumstances might just get the Government to think again," said Mr Luff.