Plans to build a large asylum centre in rural Worcestershire have been scrapped as the government makes concessions on its controversial immigration plans.

A trial of accommodation centres to hold asylum seekers will include small urban units, signalling a move away from building centres in remote rural areas.

I am very pleased that Sangatte is now closed to new entrants David Blunkett

The climbdown is a victory for campaigners, who have fought against such a centre at Throckmorton, in Worcestershire.

Despite the concessions, 42 Labour MPs rebelled over plans to teach asylum seeker children in accommodation centres rather than in local schools.

Labour MP Neil Gerrard said: "Children coming here to Britain are often victims of discrimination and segregation in other countries and what are we going to do with them the moment they arrive - segregate them again. How can we justify that?"

Despite the rebellion, which included some former ministers, the government got the measure passed by a 167 majority.

French deal

Asylum seekers will also be allowed to leave accommodation centres after six months if their applications have not been processed.

The government is hoping the concessions will help its flagship Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill clear Parliament by Thursday's end of the current session, after suffering defeats last week in the Lords.

The bill will help to stop illegal immigration from France, says Mr Blunkett

Government officials insist the concessions were merely "reasonable safeguards" and did not affect the key principles of the bill.

The proposed Throckmorton centre was due to house 750 asylum seekers, but Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes said it had suffered from planning permission problems.

Opening a Commons debate on the bill, Ms Hughes stressed plans for large centres at RAF Newton, in Nottinghamshire, and at Bicester, Oxfordshire, would not be affected.

The bill is a key part of a deal struck by Home Secretary David Blunkett with France, which earlier on Tuesday announced the early closure of the controversial Sangatte refugee camp, near Calais.

Mr Blunkett said: "I am very pleased that Sangatte is now closed to new entrants.

"I have reassured the French Government that we are determined to pass the NIA Bill, which forms our part of the broad-ranging agreement to tackle illegal immigration from northern France, of which the closure of Sangatte is an important part.

"From today, the Sangatte centre will no longer draw would-be illegal immigrants to northern France and traffickers will no longer be able to use it to ply their evil trade in human life," Mr Blunkett said.

Clash areas

The changes to the asylum bill are designed to head off critics in the Lords, where it could still receive a rough ride from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

The government has moved to calm fears on another flashpoint - a clause the opposition says would allow Mr Blunkett to change any laws connected with asylum without obtaining parliamentary approval first.

Mr Blunkett says the measure would allow him to close unforeseen loopholes that arise because of the asylum changes he is introducing.

Blair says the public want asylum problems solved

But Tory shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin said it would give David Blunkett the "widest possible powers" to run everything connected with asylum.

Ms Hughes said the clause was being rewritten to deflect worries about the "menace" it posed - although she accused the Tories and Lib Dems of misleading people over the issue.

On Monday, Tony Blair said peers had to realise the public were anxious the asylum problem was "sorted out".

"It really is the height of political opportunism to say that we have to tackle this asylum problem and then frustrate the very legislation needed to do it," said Mr Blair.

The prime minister praised French co-operation, which he said went further than closing Sangatte and amounted to the authorities acting as an "immigration barrier into Britain".