Plans to house dozens of asylum seekers in 21 empty properties in a rural Shropshire village, have triggered a furious reaction, with locals warning the community lacks the facilities to cope. The proposal would see up to 83 asylum seekers moved into vacant homes in Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton. Although some residents fear the eventual number could be higher.

The plans emerged this week after The Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions, telling Parliament the location was unsuitable because of its rural setting, limited public transport links and lack of local amenities. His intervention was followed by a letter from Shropshire Council leader Heather Kidd to the Government, in which she expressed “strong concerns” about the proposal.

The Home Office has confirmed it is considering the use of properties in the village as part of wider efforts to accommodate asylum seekers outside hotels.

A spokesperson said: “We are working to fairly disperse asylum seekers across the country, consulting closely with local authorities to further reduce our reliance on hotels and deliver better value for money for taxpayers, while giving control back to communities.

“The Home Office is developing a long-term, sustainable strategy for asylum accommodation, including exploring alternative options such as disused properties and ex-military sites to reduce community impact.”

However, the announcement has prompted a backlash from some villagers, who say they have not been properly consulted and fear local services will come under pressure.

Kevin Plews said residents were not opposed to helping people in need but questioned the scale of the proposal.

He told the BBC: “We’re not against people being put in houses. If there were just four families coming here it wouldn’t be a problem, but there’s 121 people coming.”

Claire Moore said many residents felt they had been left in the dark.

Another resident, Samantha Waters, said she was worried about the impact on the community.

A community campaign group has now been established to oppose the plans and public meetings are due to take place in the village this weekend.

The Shropshire Star reported that discussions between the Government, outsourcing firm Serco and local authorities had been ongoing for more than 14 months.

People familiar with the process told the newspaper that Shropshire Council’s previous administration had been approached before last year’s local elections and had raised concerns about the proposal.

Local councillor Donna Edmunds said she would be seeking further information from both Serco and the Home Office.

In a statement, Mr Pritchard criticised what he described as a lack of engagement with local residents and parish representatives.

Serco said it was acting on behalf of the Home Office and that allocations of asylum seekers were determined by overall national demand.