Hundreds of asylum seekers to be housed in two military sites

(MENAFN) The UK government is considering the use of two military sites in Inverness and East Sussex to house asylum seekers as part of plans to phase out hotels, according to reports. Discussions are ongoing to accommodate around 900 men at these locations, while approximately 32,000 asylum seekers are currently staying in hotels.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has directed the Home Office and Ministry of Defence to speed up efforts to identify suitable military facilities. Migrants are expected to be placed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Army Training Camp in East Sussex by the end of next month, government sources said.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard acknowledged the sites were not “luxury accommodation by any means” but described them as “adequate for what is required.” He added that relocating asylum seekers to these facilities would ease pressure on hotels and allow them to close more rapidly. Cost assessments are ongoing, though Pollard stressed strong public support for ending asylum hotel use.

Local reactions have been mixed. Inverness MP Angus MacDonald supported using military sites but questioned housing asylum seekers in a town-centre barracks. Residents near Crowborough Training Camp recalled that Afghan families had previously stayed there without major problems, although some expressed concerns about the impact on local services.

The government is also exploring industrial properties, temporary housing, and other disused buildings for asylum accommodation, all of which must meet health and safety standards. A Home Office spokesperson highlighted the government’s commitment to closing asylum hotels, noting that the current system, which accommodates 32,000 people, is expensive—down from a peak of 56,000 in 2023 but 2,500 higher than last year.

A report by the Home Affairs Committee criticized past reliance on hotels, describing the contracts as “flawed” and delivery as “incompetent,” with overall costs expected to exceed $18.3 billion. Sir Keir Starmer said he was “determined” to end asylum hotel use, calling the situation left by the previous government a “mess.”

Some former military sites, such as MDP Wethersfield in Essex and Napier Barracks in Kent, currently house single adult men. Both have previously faced criticism for poor conditions, overcrowding, and tensions among residents. Clearsprings Ready Homes, which runs these sites under a 10-year Home Office contract, has housed roughly 30,000 migrants since 2019.

Ministers continue to review all potential sites, including those previously rejected due to cost or local opposition, as they seek alternatives to asylum hotels.

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