UK Town Fears Becoming Migrant Processing Hub Amidst Growing Channel Crossings

Residents of Gosport, a historic naval town near Portsmouth, are expressing strong opposition to potential plans to convert Fort Blockhouse into a processing center for migrants arriving by small boats. This proposal comes as the town is already slated to become home to Britain's largest immigration detention center.

Concerns have been raised that Gosport could become the "capital" of the small boat crisis, potentially leading to further unrest similar to recent protests. Fort Blockhouse, a 19th-century structure designed to guard Portsmouth Harbour, is being considered as a reception center under contingency plans. This development follows a shift in smuggling tactics, with an increase in longer and more dangerous journeys from Normandy to Hampshire, bypassing the traditional Kent route.

Recent events have heightened tensions. Protests erupted in Gosport after an activist allegedly encouraged supporters to converge on the town as migrants were expected to arrive. Although Border Force rerouted the migrants to Dover to avoid confrontation, violence broke out in Gosport, resulting in six arrests and requiring police escorts for coaches intended to transport asylum seekers.

Gosport is also preparing for the reopening and expansion of Haslar Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). This facility, closed a decade ago, will now house 600 foreign criminals and illegal migrants. The proximity of these two facilities has amplified local anxieties.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative MP for Gosport, voiced her opposition, suggesting that opening new processing sites in the area would incentivize more illegal crossings. She stated that the area lacks adequate facilities and transport infrastructure, and that existing processing infrastructure in Kent should be utilized. "We don't have appropriate facilities or transport infrastructure and opening up new sites here would simply incentivise more illegal boats to make this perilous journey from France," she told the Daily Mail.

Local residents share these concerns. Lesley Cox, a 78-year-old retiree, expressed dismay over the secrecy surrounding the Fort Blockhouse plans and fears Gosport is becoming a hub for illegal migrants. "I have to think about my family and the impact it will have. My eldest son was in the Navy fighting for this country, and you think what for?" she questioned.

Cllr Zoe Huggins, leader of Gosport Borough Council, has formally protested the proposal to the Home Secretary. She highlighted the area's experience with anti-immigration demonstrations, including an incident where a dinghy carrying 140 asylum seekers was escorted ashore, leading to clashes with protesters. Huggins pointed out that Fort Blockhouse's location on a peninsula with a single exit route could make it easily blockaded by protesters.

Residents near the Haslar IRC expansion have also complained about the disruption caused by refurbishment work. The expanded IRC, which will house 600 men who cannot leave the center or access the local area, is being refurbished after a parliamentary review deemed immigration detention "expensive and damaging to detainees."

Some residents, including members of the armed forces, expressed concern about potential unrest stemming from the increased migrant population and the counter-protests it might attract. One resident, identified only as Vick, said, "I'm worried about the number of migrants in the area attracting trouble - not just because of them but also the so-called 'patriots' it's been attracting."

These developments occur amidst a backdrop of increasing numbers of small boat arrivals in the UK. This week saw 781 migrants arrive on Wednesday, the highest daily figure this year, bringing the total since the 2024 general election to over 83,000. The government maintains that Border Security Command is working to protect the border and process all arrivals.