RAF migrant camp could take even more refugees despite Starmer’s bid to shut it

A former RAF base in Essex, which was turned into an asylum centre by the last Government, could be expanded despite Sir Keir Starmer‘s vow to shut it.

The Home Office has revealed that it is continuing work RAF Wethersfield, near Braintree in Essex, that would enable its capacity to be increased to take some 800 migrants – up from the 540 that are currently housed there.

The base is in the constituency of former Home Secretary James Cleverly. He opposed the plans on the basis of the inadequacy of the transport infrastructure around the site.

The Labour leader said in July that Wethersfield “needs to close”, along with other major sites. He also promised to stop hotels being used to house asylum seekers too.

Last year Express.co.uk revealed that the site may once have been used by star of BBC drama SAS: Rogue Heroes, Lt Cl Paddy Mayne.

This website also revealed that there is evidence that the base, according to the MODs own maps, is built on ancient Roman and medieval artefacts, unexploded ordanance and may have ‘forever chemicals’ on it.

The Wethersfield airbase museum curator, Ross Stewart, told Express.co.uk in April last year: “The evidence supporting the presence of ancient historical assets on the Wethersfield base is yet another reason why the Government must U-turn on their plan to use it to house asylum seekers.

“There is priceless history here and we need to protect it”.

A Home Office has special conditions it has to meet in order to continue its development of the site. A spokesman told the Telegraph that the conditions to expand the base’s capacity were going to be met.

A spokesman said: “Work to discharge the remaining eight conditions is ongoing and we hope to discharge all conditions as soon as reasonably practicable.”

Alan MacKenzie, the chair of the local residents’ Fields Association, said of the base: “Two former home secretaries recognised Wethersfield’s isolation creates so many problems that it is unsuitable for an asylum centre, or a prison.

“It would be foolhardy to repeat the same mistake by increasing numbers there and the Government should seek to close the asylum centre there as soon as possible – as it has stated.”