The UK Home Office is expanding the number of asylum seekers housed at the controversial Wethersfield military base in Essex by over 50%, raising alarm among local leaders and rights groups. The move comes despite a previous High Court ruling against the site’s use and growing concerns over humanitarian conditions.
The current population at MDP Wethersfield—an isolated former RAF airfield—stands at around 800. The government now plans to accommodate an additional 445 asylum seekers, bringing the total to 1,245. The site is one of only two large-scale migrant accommodation facilities operated by the Home Office, the other being Napier Barracks in Folkestone.
Local authorities, NGOs, and watchdogs have strongly criticised the decision, citing insufficient infrastructure and harsh living conditions. The former Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Neal, previously reported a “feeling of hopelessness” among residents during an inspection.
Rights organisation Care4Calais condemned the expansion. Its CEO, Steve Smith, said: “Given the anxiety and despair this former military camp has inflicted on its residents, the government should be shutting it down, not expanding its capacity.” He added that Labour leader Keir Starmer had previously pledged to close such facilities, especially after it emerged that survivors of torture and modern slavery had been unlawfully detained there.
While the Home Office insists this is a temporary measure to handle peak demand, with full compliance to health and safety regulations, locals remain divided. Some residents of the nearby village of Wethersfield, which has a population of just under 1,300, have voiced support for the asylum seekers and joined volunteer support efforts. Others argue the rural infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle such numbers.
Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, stated: “This disused airbase in a very rural area does not have the infrastructure to host asylum seekers on such a large scale.”
The Home Office said in a statement that all usage is in line with planning permissions and that it is working with local authorities to manage accommodation safely.
