Asylum seekers to be housed at Essex RAF base from Wednesday

Asylum seekers will begin to be housed at a former RAF base in Essex from Wednesday morning, Sky News understands.

Ministers unveiled plans back in March to use Wethersfield Airfield to accommodate up to 1,700 male asylum seekers for up to 180 days each in an attempt to reduce the amount the government spends on hotels.

The scheme led to a backlash from the local authority and some residents, with Braintree Council launching a legal challenge against the move.

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But attempts to block the plans failed, and Sky News now understands the first arrivals will be on site tomorrow morning.

The news also comes after Sky News revealed that some Army families had been given just a week’s notice to move off the site, saying they had been “railroaded” into vacating the base.

A statement from the council on Monday said they had “yet to receive confirmation on an exact date from the Home Office” on when asylum seekers would arrive, and were still seeking to take further legal action – with a decision expected this week.

They added: “We still feel there are many that still need addressing and clarifying, in particular in relation to community engagement and funding.

“We are still very much of the view that the airbase is not a suitable site.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Delivering accommodation on surplus military sites will provide cheaper and more orderly, suitable accommodation for those arriving in small boats whilst helping to reduce the use of hotels.

“These accommodation sites will house asylum seekers in basic, safe and secure accommodation as they await a decision on their claim.

“We understand the concerns of local communities and will work closely with councils and key partners to manage the impact of using these sites, including liaising with local police to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place.”

The government has been trying to come up with alternative accommodation for asylum seekers after it said the number of people making small boat Channel crossings had led to a hotel bill of £6m to house those waiting for their claims to be processed.

As well as former military bases, there are plans to house people on barges as well as reports that large marquees could be used.

Ministers are also pushing forward with their Illegal Migration Bill – which passed its latest stage in the Commons on Tuesday after almost four hours of voting – that would see those arriving by small boats “swiftly detained and removed” to their country of origin or a third country – like Rwanda.

However, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has insisted his plan is “working”, more than 1,000 people made the dangerous journey over the weekend.

Figures released by the Home Office showed 686 migrants were found crossing the Channel on 13 boats on Friday – the highest number in a single day so far this year – and 384 migrants made the crossing on Saturday.

A further 269 people were detected on Sunday, taking the total number of people crossing so far this year to more than 12,000.

Despite the figures, the PM told reporters on Tuesday: “When people know if they come they won’t be able to stay… they stop coming in the same volumes. That gives me confidence that our overall strategy is the right one.”