Home Office recruits staff as plans advance for Gosport detention centre
The Home Office has started recruiting seven staff for Haslar Immigration Removal Centre in Gosport, Hampshire, a step towards reopening and expanding the site. The proposed 600-person centre has drawn strong local opposition, while a nearby sea fort is also being considered as a reception centre for people arriving by small boat.
The advertised detention engagement officer roles pay almost £35,000 and involve updating detainees on their cases and supporting their welfare. Plans envisage an initial capacity of 130, rising to 600 in a later phase; residents have lodged hundreds of objections over privacy, security and disruption from construction. A full public inquiry has been ordered, and police have said protests in the area have cost taxpayers about £800,000.
- Home Office recruits seven staff for Haslar.
- Plans would expand the centre to 600 places.
- Residents’ objections have led to a public inquiry.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters could argue that reopening Haslar would provide needed capacity to manage immigration cases and enforce removal decisions, while officers dedicated to communication and welfare could help detainees understand their cases and access support. A planned facility may also offer a more orderly, purpose-built response to arrivals and reduce pressure on other parts of the system.
The case against
Opponents could argue that a centre for up to 600 people would impose substantial and lasting costs on nearby residents, including concerns about privacy, security, construction disruption and pressure on local services. They may also question whether expanding detention is a proportionate or humane way to manage immigration cases, and argue that the plans should not proceed without addressing these concerns through the public inquiry.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Home Office begins recruiting staff for detention centre that could make town Britain’s new migrant processing capital”.