Compensation bid on table over port’s £23million ‘white elephant’

The United Kingdom’s new trade deal with the European Union is set to lead to most checks on food, animal products and agricultural goods being scrapped.

While this simplified approach has been welcomed by port authorities, it has called into question the future of post-Brexit border infrastructure.

Cllr Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said the local authority could have to consider demolishing the facility, which was only built three years ago, if inspections are no longer needed.

Cllr Pitt said: “After five turbulent years of uncertainty, we welcome the news that food and animal imports, and border checks, could be simplified.

“As a major port anything that avoids delays is always welcomed.

“We have repeatedly asked for a clear direction on the future of the border control posts, ours is a significant piece of infrastructure that takes up two acres of operational land and has meant a loss of commercial opportunity for the port.”

Portsmouth International Port’s building required a £6million contribution from the city council.

A further £17million for the “highly specialist, bespoke facility” was covered by central government.

Cllr Pitt said: “It was hoped that we could recoup costs through charging for goods to be inspected, however if the border control post is no longer in use we will be looking for compensation from government to recover the shortfall.”

He added: “As a council owned facility, we are obviously also concerned about our staff in port health and will ensure all changes take place in consultation with them as we get further clarity from government.”

Safety and security checks started at the site last year, two years after it was built, however, much of the facility has remained unused.

Former cabinet member for transport with responsibility for the port Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson said while the control post is painted black “it is a white elephant”.

The British Ports Association (BPA) is leading calls for compensation for ports to cover the cost of infrastructure they were forced to build under the previous post-Brexit agreement.

Industry had invested more than £100million in border control posts but the government had not undertaken border checks at the expected level, the association said.

Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of the BPA, welcomed the new agreement, which he said would lower barriers to trade.

On border control posts, Mr Ballantyne said: “This agreement means that many new border control posts that were built at a cost of over £120m to industry to manage checks that never fully materialised are now likely to become obsolete.

“Government should cover the full costs of these white elephants and put this episode behind us.”

A government spokesperson said: “This government committed in its manifesto to negotiate an agreement to prevent unnecessary border checks, remove red tape for businesses and help tackle the cost of food, which is what we have delivered on.”