Mahmood Hails Military Bases as Future Migrant Housing
The British government plans to convert three decommissioned military bases into housing for up to 3,750 asylum seekers as part of its strategy to end the use of asylum hotels before the next election.
The British government is moving forward with plans to transform decommissioned military installations into long-term asylum accommodation facilities, with the Home Secretary declaring such sites represent the cornerstone of Labour’s future housing strategy for asylum seekers.
Shabana Mahmood outlined the administration’s vision during testimony before the House of Lords justice and home affairs committee, according to Dan McDonald writing in GB News. The Home Secretary characterized the repurposing of former armed forces locations as very much a key flank of the Government’s policy going forward.
Mahmood emphasized that concentrating asylum seekers at military base sites would enable better service provision compared to alternative accommodation models currently in use across Britain.
The Home Office has formally requested planning permission to convert three decommissioned military facilities into housing for as many as 3,750 asylum seekers. This initiative forms part of the government’s commitment to eliminate the use of asylum hotels prior to the next general election.
The three sites under consideration include the former RAF station at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, MoD Bicester in Oxfordshire, and RAF Barnham in Suffolk. The Suffolk location previously functioned as a covert nuclear weapons storage facility throughout the Cold War era.
Beyond establishing the three new facilities, ministers intend to expand capacity at two Ministry of Defence sites already operational for asylum accommodation. This expansion will create additional space for approximately 1,750 asylum seekers, with lease agreements extended by up to four years at both locations.
The strategy has already generated significant local opposition at two military sites currently housing asylum seekers. Both Wethersfield in Essex and Crowborough in Sussex have experienced recurring protests from residents in surrounding communities objecting to the government’s use of the facilities.
With information from GB News
