By Thelma Etim BBC News, Southampton

The centre, on former MoD land, would hold 750 people

Bicester Refugee Support - fighting government plans to build a centre to house 750 asylum seekers near the town - wants the asylum debate "humanised".

Spokeswoman Dr Rebecca Mitchell-Farmer has urged the parties to "mind their language" on the issue as 5 May nears.

She said: "Asylum seekers are not a homogenous mass of people."

We want them (asylum seekers) to be more integrated into the local community rather than shut away in an almost prison-like building Dr Mitchell-Farmer

Dr Mitchell-Farmer added: "We are urging Labour and the Conservatives not to play the race card but humanise the national debate about asylum seekers.

"The Liberal Democrats' view is the most humane one we are hearing in the debate, along with the local Green Party who have been a more compassionate voice."

It is planned that up to 400 single men, 50 single women and 300 family members will stay at the centre while they wait to find out if their applications for asylum have been successful.

Dionne Arrowsmith, from Bicester Action Group, said: "This accommodation centre is still the biggest single issue facing Bicester and the local villages and I think it will be uppermost in everyone's minds when they go to the ballot box."

Dionne Arrowsmith, founder of the Bicester Action Group

Dr Mitchell-Farmer fears for "such a large number of asylum seekers in an area where there is a lot of hostility to the centre".

She added: "The government claims all the facilities will be provided on site.

"We are against this because we want them to be more integrated into the local community rather than shut away in a building with perimeter lighting and fencing - almost prison-like."

Tony Baldry, Conservative candidate for Banbury, said: "The government has not managed to find a single organisation concerned for refugees that supports the asylum centre proposal.

"This is a knee-jerk reaction to Sangatte and since Sangatte the number of asylum applications has reduced considerably. I think they ought to suspend the proposal.

Many local residents opposed the plans for the centre

"I think there are concerns that putting people in the middle of the Oxfordshire countryside away from support systems is a pretty inhuman way of treating these people.

"It is perverse for the government to ignore all of the advice from all organisations, the planning inspectors, the refugee council, and the history of global security."

Zoe Patrick, the Liberal Democrats' prospective parliamentary candidate, said: "We feel large asylum centres are not practical. The problem with the Bicester centre is that it is so huge and that is why it is so unfair.

"There is a need for smaller accommodation centre but crucially ones that would integrate asylum seekers into the community.

'Contributing to society'

"We welcome asylum seekers fleeing persecution - they need a bed, clothes, food and healthcare.

"But then they need to be allowed to work so they are contributing to society and their children integrated into the local schools."

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: "Asylum seeker numbers have indeed fallen by over two-thirds since 2002.

"The backlog of decisions has fallen from 60,000 in 1996, when Michael Howard was Home Secretary to just under 10,000 now.

"However, it is still the case that the UK received 40,000 asylum claims last year and that our planned asylum seeker centres will provide a much fairer system of deciding on asylum claims.

'Much fairer system'

"This allows genuine asylum seekers to have their claims processed more quickly and then resettled, while those with unfounded claims can be removed back to their countries of origin. "

A spokesman for the Green Party said: "Asylum seekers can live in the community while being processed - there is no need to build a detention centre.

"Forcing them to live in a place against their will is an anathema to natural justice. Because they are not allowed to work they become a burden on the local economy and that causes resentment in the community."

A second public inquiry into the site is due to take place in the near future, a Cherwell District Council spokeswoman confirmed.