Plans to triple the size of the Haslar Immigration Detention Centre in Gosport, Hampshire, and expand Campsfield House in Oxfordshire have drawn sharp criticism from local residents and officials. The Home Office aims to transform Haslar, which closed a decade ago, into one of Europe's largest immigration removal centers, capable of holding 600 individuals flagged as foreign criminals or illegal migrants.
The redevelopment, costing an estimated £399 million, has been designated a project of 'national importance,' bypassing local council planning processes and placing decision-making in the hands of ministers. Residents near Haslar express fears of becoming "prisoners in our own homes," citing concerns about falling property values, with one resident reporting a £25,000 drop in their home's worth. The lack of willing buyers means they feel trapped, unable to move.
Residents in Gosport have already endured two years of disruptive construction, with noise and dust impacting their daily lives. "We are trapped. We feel like prisoners," stated one anonymous resident, who also noted the mental health toll and the inability to open windows during warm weather due to dust. Another resident, Sandra Card, feels she was misled about the scale of the project, as the building has been extended to three stories when she understood it would be two, raising privacy concerns.
The Haslar site, previously closed in 2015 following a review that deemed immigration detention 'expensive and damaging,' is undergoing a phased refurbishment. Phase 1, providing 130 beds, is expected to be operational by autumn, with the first detainees arriving in Spring 2027. Phase 2 involves new accommodation.
Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage is pressing ministers for clarity, having raised the issue in Parliament and written to the Home Secretary. She has called for the application to be considered by the local planning authority, arguing that the current process removes decision-making from local residents and places it in the hands of Whitehall civil servants and politicians. "I have serious concerns that the Government are trying to push this application through with minimal scrutiny, which isn't acceptable," she stated.
A Home Office-funded community impact assessment suggests the project will create 341 construction jobs and contribute approximately £19.7 million annually to the local economy. However, this economic argument has done little to assuage the fears of residents concerned about the immediate impact on their community.
Simultaneously, plans are in motion to expand Campsfield House in Oxfordshire from 160 to 400 beds. This site, which closed in May 2019 after welfare concerns were highlighted, has also faced protests. The government asserts that expanding both facilities will increase detention capacity by 40%, potentially enabling the removal of over 45,000 individuals over the next decade.
A Home Office spokesperson defended the expansion, stating, "We make no apology for significantly expanding our detention capacity which will see more than 45,000 additional foreign criminals and illegal migrants removed over the coming decade.” The department encourages residents and stakeholders to participate in the formal consultation process, which for Haslar closes on August 6.