Protesters have won the right to a High Court appeal against Government plans for a network of asylum accommodation centres.

The Government has still not been able to build any of the proposed centres, each to hold up to 750 asylum seekers, despite passing legislation 15 months ago and announcing it would build between eight to ten.

Last April, the Home Office was forced to scrap plans to use the Grand Ocean Hotel in Saltdean as an induction centre, following months of protests.

Now the High Court has granted Cherwell District Council in Oxfordshire the right to challenge a decision to build an accommodation centre on former Ministry of Defence land at Bicester.

The Argus revealed in November 2002 how the Home Office had earmarked the Grand Ocean Hotel as emergency accommodation for refugees.

The Government first denied the plans then backtracked, blaming a "clerical error" for the previous announcement.

Opponents argued Saltdean did not have the resources to deal with an influx of refugees.

Home Office minister Beverley Hughes announced last April the hotel had been ruled out for good and induction arrangements would be expanded elsewhere instead.