Disused and off-season holiday parks are set to be turned into accommodation for cross-Channel migrants as ministers attempt to reduce the £5.6m a day being spent on hotels.
The government is expected to announce plans to use half a dozen holiday parks, which are anticipated to be available from January, once talks about the length of leases have concluded.
Ministers also want to expand the use of old university halls of residence to cut the need for hotels. One such site already housing migrants is the former Canterbury Christ Church University building in Broadstairs, Kent. Disused military bases similar to the RAF site at Manston, which was turned into a processing centre, are also being considered as a “long-term” solution.
A Home Office source said that while the idea of using cruise ships as accommodation was discussed in a recent meeting, they were less likely to be used than holiday parks and former student halls.
