Your Route to Real News

Military training base built in WWII to house Afghan refugees

1356     0
Military training base built in WWII to house Afghan refugees
Military training base built in WWII to house Afghan refugees

A MILITARY training base is being lined up to house Afghan refugees.

Officials are scoping out Swynnerton Camp for temporary accommodation.

Food supplies are snapped being brought aboard the Bibby Stockholm before asylum seekers return this week eiqrkidrdiqquprw
Food supplies are snapped being brought aboard the Bibby Stockholm before asylum seekers return this weekCredit: NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS

The Ministry of Defence said the camp would house Afghans who fled the Taliban if given the nod in the coming weeks.

Individuals and families will stay before being moved to approved accommodation across the UK.

A source yesterday said “preparations to ready the site” were already under way.

From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023

The 560-acre Staffs camp will still be used for fieldcraft training outside the perimeter fence.

This includes the use of blank ammo and pyrotechnics but no live firing.

The MoD said: “We are looking at the possible use of spare accommodation at Swynnerton Training Camp to temporarily accommodate eligible Afghan families under the ARAP (Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy) scheme.

“No decision has been made yet. If used, no personnel will lose their housing and training would continue on the site.”

The camp was built in World War Two as a munitions factory before becoming a training base.

It is now operated by the Defence Training Estate.

Plans to house 2,000 asylum seekers at the Dambusters HQ at RAF Scampton, Lincs, has been paused over planning issues.

Meanwhile food supplies were yesterday brought aboard the Bibby Stockholm before asylum seekers return this week.

The barge, in Portland, Dorset, was evacuated in August after the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply.

Paul Sims

Print page

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus