Portland Port talking to Home Office over 'floating' accommodation for asylum seekers
Dorset Council says it has serious concerns
Last updated 30th Mar 2023
Dorset Council says it has serious concerns about any plans for an asylum seeker centre at Portand Harbour – but is likely to be powerless to do anything about it.
In a statement the authority said: “Dorset Council and the local MP Richard Drax have been made aware of conversations between the Home Office and the owners of Portland Port to site floating accommodation for asylum seekers in the port.
“We have serious concerns about the suitability of the location for this facility.
“The council has had limited input and has no decision-making powers on this.”
South Dorset MP, Richard Drax, described the location as ‘entirely unsuitable’ whichever option was being investigated.
Portland Port has said it has been in discussions with the Government and would make a statement at a later time.
It is not know what type of asylum facility is being discussed, whether secure for those likely to be later deported, or an open facility.
Portland Labour councillor Paul Kimber said that if the asylum seeker were to come they should be made welcome.
The Port was previously ‘home’ to a prison ship, HMP Weare, a category C jail for male prisoners from June 1997 until August 2005.
The former Weymouth and Portland Borough Council had objected to the only aspect of planning they had control over at the time – shoreside facilities, but were later over-ruled on appeal.
The five-storey ship was said to have employed 250 people and estimated to have boosted the local economy by £9million. Although the borough council feared it would deter tourism it became a visitor attraction.
Although inspection reports generally found the floating prison well run the accommodation was described as “cramped and claustrophobic” and as being “unsuitable, expensive and in the wrong place” (November 2004 monitoring report).
The vessel remained in Portland Port for a re-fit for new owners, finally leaving under tow in December 2009.
An application for a waste to fuel incinerator plant at Portland Port, with an 80-metre chimney, was rejected by Dorset Council planners last Friday as being unsuitable for the area.
It was later said that an appeal would be launched against the decision with Portland Port’s chief executive and its planning advisors critical of the way Dorset Council had dealt with the application.