"Utterly inappropriate" - Opposition grows to Home Office plans to house asylum seekers in Waterlooville town centre
Opposition is growing to Home Office proposals to house asylum seekers in Waterlooville town centre - with council officials also saying they were not correctly consulted.
Havant MP Alan Mak has added his voice of objection to the plans, following opposition already voiced by Fareham and Waterlooville MP Suella Braverman whose constituency the London Road location is in.
As previously reported by The News, Mrs Braverman and some local Conservative councillors are angry at the ‘wholly inappropriate proposal’ to provide temporary accommodation above shops to asylum seekers who are awaiting the outcome of their applications.
“Our town has undergone an amazing transformation and become a welcoming place to work, invest, shop, dine and play; decisions such as this will once again make our town centres no go zones for the patriotic, common-sense majority.
“This site, in the centre of our town, is utterly inappropriate for migrant accommodation. It must be stopped.”
She has been joined by fellow Conservative MP Alan Mak, whose constituency includes the southern parts of Waterlooville, though not the town centre, who has also expressed his opposition, as well as questioning why the council didn't inform him of the proposals.
Launching his own petition he said: “I am calling on the Labour Home Secretary and the Labour Leader of Havant Borough Council to think again and stop their plan.”
The MPs and Conservative councillors had claimed that Havant Borough Council failed to respond to the Home Office when it was contacted to ask if it was an appropriate site, effectively paving the way for it to go ahead for 35 people to be housed there.
But the council has now said the Home Office didn’t contact it at all, instead emailing an outside contractor who is no longer working for the council. As a result it has requested extra time from the Home Office to formally consider the plans.
In a statement it said it had discovered that the Home Office and Clearsprings, the property procurement company acting on their behalf, had attempted to contact Havant Borough Council in June 2025. But it ‘has since become apparent the email to consult on this matter had been sent to the email address of an external contractor who was not only not qualified to respond, but also no longer works on behalf of the council’.
As a result, it said the council does not consider appropriate contact was made and has highlighted to both the Home Office and Clearsprings that matters of this sensitive nature must firmly be discussed in the first instance with the chief executive and lead for housing, in addition to the elected administration.
It said it has now been in contact with The Home Office, urgently requesting that the consultation period is extended to allow the council to express its views on this matter. This is to ensure matters of this nature are given proper consideration, allowing for qualified feedback to be expressed under a formal process.
The leader of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Phil Munday, said “I understand we have an instructed duty from the Home Office to house asylum seekers within the borough, however it is important that the council works closely with all concerned to advise on the placement for these vulnerable people.
“I have taken immediate action and personally called The Home Office to request an extension to their consultation in order for us to respond accordingly. This has also been followed up with formal requests in writing from our officers.
“We are extremely disappointed that the company involved with this important consultation, considering the impact it may have on our local community, was not only sent to an incorrect email address, but they also failed to follow up to ensure a response of some kind was registered. These consultation exercises need to be taken seriously.
Councillor Phil Munday added “I also have grave concerns on the impact the recent video posted by MP Suella Braverman will have, and I would urge the community to act responsibly and allow us to address this matter formally in the correct manner.
As part of my open letter to Suella Braverman MP on this matter I will be reminding her that those who could potentially be accommodated somewhere within our borough, will be supported asylum seekers. They are categorically not recognised by the state as illegal immigrants – regardless of the headline-grabbing title of Suella Braverman’s petition – and I urge people to consider this in their views and actions.”