Oct 2001 | Home Secretary announced major overhaul of the asylum system. Strategic business case for accommodation centres submitted to HM Treasury. |
Feb 2002 | Home Office issued OJEC notice and subsequently staged a bidders conference. |
May 2002 | Public announcement regarding the Bicester site. Home Office submitted planning application to Cherwell District Council. Pre-Qualification Questionnaires issued to 21 prospective bidders. |
June 2002 | Public consultation on the planning application by the Council. |
July 2002 | The Council objected to the planning notification. The Home Office selected five consortiums to bid for the project. |
Aug 2002 | Department announced appeal against the Council's objection. |
Nov 2002 | The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 passed. Bicester business case approved by the Home Office and Gateway 2 Review held. |
Dec 2002 - Mar 2003 | Local planning inquiry held. |
July 2003 | Gateway 2a Review held. Preferred Bidder selection process began. HM Treasury confirmed £116 million capital budget available for the accommodation centres project from 2003 to 2006. |
Aug 2003 | Secretary of State for Local Government and the Regions granted planning approval for Bicester. |
Sept 2003 | The three bidding consortiums submitted Final Invitation to Negotiate responses for evaluation. |
Oct 2003 | The Council sought judicial review. |
Dec 2003 | Gateway 3 Review held. |
Jan 2004 | Global Solutions Limited selected as preferred bidder. Bicester business case prepared for Home Office Group Investment Board. |
Feb 2004 | Bicester business case submitted to Home Office Group Investment Board. |
Mar 2004 | Judicial review hearing held. |
April 2004 | Judicial review rejected the Council's planning challenge. Council to appeal. |
May 2004 | Full business case resubmitted to Group Investment Board with results of the benefits realisation exercise included. |
June 2004 | Home Office signed main works contract with preferred bidder. |
July 2004 | Court of Appeal hearing held. |
Sept 2004 | The Home Office began development of the new asylum model. |
Oct 2004 | Court of Appeal upheld Secretary of State's decision. |
Nov 2004 | Council announced it would not appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision. Home Office submitted the detailed planning application to the Council. |
Jan 2005 | Home Office Finance Director notified by project team that the capital cost of Bicester has increased by 13 per cent since February 2004. |
Feb 2005 | The Council resolved to object to the detailed planning application. Ministers advised of project capital cost increases. |
April 2005 | Senior Responsible Officer advised Accounting Officer and ministers that Bicester was no longer economically viable. |
June 2005 | Immigration Minister announced that the network of ten centres would not go ahead and a few days later that the Home Office would not be proceeding with Bicester. |