Haslar set to become one of Europe's largest immigration detention centres

GOSPORT – Residents near Gosport are objecting to plans to reopen and expand an immigration detention centre that would make it one of the largest in Europe.

The Haslar Immigration Removal Centre in Gosport, Hampshire, which closed a decade ago, is expected to be tripled in size to hold up to 600 foreign offenders and illegal immigrants in a three-storey building.

Residents living near the site claim the value of their homes has fallen by as much as £25,000 (RM137,742) since the plan was announced.

They also say their lives have been made 'like hell' by construction work that will run for two years and begins in the early hours of the morning.

Two-phase redevelopment

The redevelopment of Haslar is being carried out in stages. The first phase involves refurbishing existing buildings, while the second phase covers the construction of new accommodation facilities.

The first phase will provide 130 beds and is expected to be completed by autumn, with the first detainees expected to be housed at the site in spring 2027.

Campsfield House also to be expanded

The British Home Office also plans to raise the capacity of the Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre in Oxfordshire from 160 to 400 beds.

Both centres will be used to hold foreign offenders and individuals who have breached immigration laws while they await deportation from Britain.

The expansion of both facilities was proposed while the Conservative Party was in government and is now being pursued by the Labour government at an estimated cost of £399 million (RM2.1 billion).

Europe's largest immigration removal centre at present is Harmondsworth near Heathrow Airport, with a capacity of 676 detainees. – AGENCIES