Government plans to use Pontins site as asylum seeker holding camp?

The government is reportedly proposing to buy up and convert "underperforming" holiday camps for the purpose of temporarily housing migrants, including a Pontins site at Camber Sands in Kent. 

There are approximately 820 chalets at the Camber Sands site, Kent Live reports.

There were similar plans to house asylum seekers in a Merseyside holiday resort owned by Pontins. Sefton Council confirmed the government abandoned this option.

A government spokesperson said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels due to the unacceptable rise in small boat arrivals and our commitment to accommodate those from Afghanistan.

“We therefore continue to look at all available options to source appropriate and cost-effective temporary accommodation.”

There were 72,027 asylum applications (relating to 85,902 people) in the UK in the year ending September 2022. According to Home Office data, there were 26,380 asylum seekers living in temporary accommodation at the end of 2021.