First asylum seekers arrive at former RAF airbase

Wethersfield Airfield will be used to house up to 1,700 male asylum seekers.

MDP Wethersfield, a former airbase in Essex where the Home Office is housing adult male migrants, leaving villagers living nearby divided. All photos: PA

A bedroom at the asylum accommodation centre. It will house up to 1,700 single men but some local residents say the area lacks the infrastructure needed to cope

An en-suite bathroom at the former airbase, which is about eight miles from Braintree

The dining hall at Wethersfield, which will offer meals three times a day

A menu in the dining hall of the centre, which is due to be 'fully functional' by autumn

The briefing centre where migrants are processed. The camp was first used during the Second World War before being taken over by the US during the Cold War

Inside the briefing centre, where arrivals receive a welcome pack. Many local residents are concerned about the presence of so many young men in one place

An accommodation block at the centre which also has an on-site GP surgery

The centre's facilities include an indoor basketball court and a gym

Information posters for new arrivals. A report revealed there was a 'high risk' of undetonated explosives at the camp

The first asylum seekers have arrived at a former RAF airbase in Essex that has been drafted into UK government attempts to drive down the number of arrivals.

They were brought to Essex from a processing facility in Kent, having arrived in the UK on small boats via the English Channel.

The Wethersfield Airfield site, about 13km from Braintree, will be used to house male asylum seekers.

The government has been criticised on numerous fronts for some of its immigration policies – including the use of RAF bases to house asylum seekers and a plan to send some of them to Rwanda.

All those arriving at the Wethersfield site will be given a welcome pack containing toiletries and details, in their own language, on “what it is to be a good neighbour”.

There is an on-site surgery, accommodation blocks, a dining hall with meals offered three times a day, a multifaith centre and recreation facilities, including an indoor basketball court and a gym.

The gym equipment – including weight and exercise machines – are in a low-roofed room away from the main accommodation buildings.

A dining room has a buffet-style service area and tables for up to six people. Menus and notices are on display on boards.

Two-storey buildings house the bedrooms, which are multi–person rooms containing bunks and single beds.

People will be processed in a separate building called the Briefing Centre.

“We do have a shuttle bus facility that will take the asylum seekers on site out to the local area but it's all managed really carefully and that's done on a regular basis as well,” said Cheryl Avery, director for asylum accommodation for the Home Office.

“In our site in Kent we've got people who have a running club, there are art lessons, there are lots of activities that keep people occupied, but also to engage with the community as well and learn how to be a good citizen,” said Ms Avery.

She said Wethersfield will be “fully functional” by autumn with up to 1,700 single adult men housed there.

“We've got about 50 people arriving today from various locations, but they arrived at our facility in Kent at the weekend on small boats.”

Ms Avery said that when asylum seekers arrive at Wethersfield, they are screened, with biometric and health testing.

She said people would not stay at the site for more than nine months.

“We're really conscious of the fact we don't want people to be on the site for a long time,” she added.

“We have a process whereby going through the asylum-seeking process they will be between six to nine months maximum and then they will be dispersed into another location if their claim goes beyond that.

“We don't want people to feel they are stuck on one site or communities to feel that they are unnecessarily burdened.”

She said the site is run by a contractor and manned 24/7 with CCTV cameras in place.

“We make sure that everybody is safe, both asylum seekers on site and the community as well,” said Ms Avery.

“We're also working really closely with Essex Police to make sure we run the site effectively.

“They've worked really closely with other police forces in a facility we have in Kent and they've shared lessons learnt around how to keep the community safe and how to keep asylum seekers safe.”

She said there are “a lot of facilities on site to ensure that people are fully occupied”.

“Everybody who arrives here goes through an orientation process to understand what acceptable behaviour is,” Ms Avery said.

“We know they've been through quite a lengthy journey and they're in a new environment and it's important they understand how to fit in and be part of the community and minimise any impact.”

Ms Avery added that there are “ongoing sessions” about integrating into the community.