Attempts by two councils to block plans to build asylum seeker centres in their areas are to be challenged by the Home Office.

Rushcliffe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire and Cherwell District Council in Oxfordshire have objected to plans to establish large accommodation centres.

A decision by councillors in Throckmorton in Worcestershire over whether to object to a third planned centre is yet to be made.

Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes said the government was disappointed with the objecting councils.

'Shared responsibility'

"I believe that there is a great deal of misunderstanding locally about accommodation centres.

"Rather than a detriment, I believe that they can be an asset to local communities.

"Asylum seekers will live in accommodation centres for a few months while their claim is considered.

Three large centres are planned by the government

"To minimise any impact on local services, accommodation centres will provide all key services on site.

"The vast majority of asylum seekers will continue to be dispersed to urban areas while the trial of accommodation centres is underway.

"But asylum is a national issue and all parts of the country need to share the responsibility for dealing with it."

More tensions

There has been strong objection to a centre planned at RAF Newton in Nottinghamshire.

When the minister visited Newton last month she was handed a protest petition by angry residents.

Protestors against the site on Ministry of Defence land near Bicester in Oxfordshire were sending out 10,000 letters to nearby homes telling them to object against the plan.

The British Red Cross has also objected to the plans saying it was more likely to increase tensions between asylum seekers and local communities.

Regional government offices will now decide whether public inquiries need to be held into the planning applications.