Anger expressed at 'government's migrant site plans for Solent'
Gosport Borough Council has written to the Government stating the area is unsuitable to use for any future potential migrant arrivals in the Solent
Anger has been expressed over claims the government is not liaising with local councils as it searches for a suitable site to accommodate any future potential migrant arrivals in the Solent.
Gosport Borough Council has written to the Government stating the area is unsuitable to use for any future potential migrant arrivals in the Solent, with fears that Gosport is being considered a suitable location.
The council has said it has become aware that the Government is exploring contingency plans for how small boat arrivals would be managed and has contacted the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Subsequently the council has said it been informed sites in the Solent area are being considered for short-term contingency use. The use would be to bring migrants ashore after which they would leave Hampshire for processing and enter the usual Home Office system for accommodation.
The news follows an earlier plea from the town’s MP Caroline Dinenage not to use the up-for-sale Fort Blockhouse for migrant landings.
Gosport Borough Council’s leader Cllr Zoe Huggins, has written to the Home Office outlining how unsuitable it would be, particularly given Gosport's position as a peninsula with limited access in and out.
Cllr Huggins said: "It is outrageous that Government can review arrangements like this without talking to the local council. We heard from local contacts that planning was happening and have asked the Government for urgent conversations to find out more about their plans.
"We have seen in Eastney the issue with using a location with one road in and out. I had already written to the Government highlighting this issue with Gosport being a peninsula. Not only have they ignored that, they have chosen a site located on a peninsula at the end of the Gosport peninsula, compounding the problem.
"We respect people's right to protest peacefully and within the law but if the Government follows this plan it will create an easy target for protesters to blockade coaches, as they did in Eastney, and bring avoidable disruption to Gosport's residents, businesses and communities."
It follows the protests and resulting violent disorder in Eastney earlier this month when migrants crossing the Channel where brought to Portsmouth. This is thought to be as a result of a change in tactics by criminal smuggling gangs looking to avoid French action to crackdown on Channel crossings.
Meanwhile, a migrant dinghy is this afternoon heading towards the UK after spending more than 24 hours at sea after leaving the Normandy coast on Monday morning.
The dinghy is now approaching the Channel boundary line according to ship tracking data, and appears to have set off close to the village of Vierville-sur-Mer, west of Bayeux.
A extraordinary meeting of Gosport Borough Council is also taking place this evening (September 22) to discuss the recent situation in Eastney.
The Home Office has been approached for a comment.