Residents living near the Manston Asylum Processing Centre in Kent have voiced anger over plans for a £700million expansion of the facility.
Villagers opposite the former RAF base fear the site, meant to temporarily process Channel migrants, could become permanent housing for asylum seekers.
Local inhabitants say they have been kept in the dark about the Home Office’s plans for the centre, which sits behind high barbed-wire fences.
Manston, a village of just 1,975 people, has a proud military heritage with its former RAF base playing a key role in the Battle of Britain.
An aerial shot of Manston’s immigration facility
PA
A museum dedicated to Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft stands as a popular destination, preserving the area’s rich wartime history.
But across from this memorial, the tranquility of this Kent village is being disrupted by the expansion plans for the asylum processing centre.
Residents say they haven’t received any communication about the expansion plans or future use of the facility.
“It all feels very hush, hush even though we live right opposite the place,” a concerned local mother told reporters. “We haven’t even had a letter through our doors telling us about the expansion.”
Locals worry about stretched public services, with long waiting lists for doctor and dentist appointments already a regular occurrence.
Paul Bell, a chartered engineer from the village, expressed concern about infrastructure strain.
He told MailOnline: “I have nothing against the expansion of the asylum centre, but I am concerned about the increase in development without an upgrade in the infrastructure.”
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Migrants arriving at Manston’s immigration facility
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Kevin and Annette Jones shared similar worries. “They are a strain on the NHS, on GPs and schools and it’s us British people who are having to pay the cost,” they said.
The centre’s history has been marked by controversy since its opening in January 2022.
Just nine months after opening, the site designed for 1,500 people became overwhelmed with almost 4,000 occupants.
Conditions deteriorated with outbreaks of diphtheria, scabies and MRSA, leading to one death.
An inquiry is set to open next month examining why 18,000 people were detained longer than the prescribed 24-hour period, including one Afghan family held for 32 days.
The new plans for the 93-acre site include an asylum reception centre, Border Force training centre, CCTV security, parking and a waste treatment centre.
Security around Manston’s immigration facility
PA
Local reports suggest the facility is set to become “bigger and better”, though exact capacity figures haven’t been revealed by the Home Office.
Work on the expansion appears to have already begun, with the project expected to be completed by 2028.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We began community engagement work last year on the infrastructure upgrade needed at the Manston site.”
“Our top priority remains protecting the security of the local community, and consulting them on the upgrade plans will of course be part of that.”
The spokesman added they were committed to “smashing the criminal gangs responsible for the cross-Channel smuggling trade, and reducing the need for the Manston processing facilities.”