The Home Office has ditched plans to house asylum seekers at flats in Waterlooville town centre.
The Home Office has ditched plans to house asylum seekers at flats in Waterlooville town centre.
Conservative politicians in the area said the Home Office made the right decision to “U-turn” – protecting new businesses and town centre investors.
A statement from Havant Borough Council said it has been told by the Home Office that proposals to use 286-288 London Road, Waterlooville, to house 35 asylum seekers will not go ahead.
It said the Home Office considered the consultation response from Havant Borough Council alongside other evidence and has decided not to purchase the property as the accommodation has been deemed unsuitable.
The borough council had said the the flats were not fire safety compliant.
Around 2,000 people took to the town centre to protest the plan – and more than 10,000 signed a petition led by MP for Fareham and Waterlooville Suella Braverman.
The former home secretary said: “I am very pleased that the Home Office have listened to the people of Waterlooville and U-turned on their plans.”
Mrs Braverman said she thanked the more than 10,000 local people who signed her petition to stop these plans.
And she thanked local Conservative Waterlooville councillors led by Cllr Gwen Robinson who campaigned on these plans.
Mrs Braverman said: “If they had not acted, it is likely that this would have just happened without anyone realising until too late.”
Councillor Gwen Robinson (Con, Waterloo) said she made herself very unpopular at Havant Borough council and took a lot of criticism for working with Suella to raise awareness and makes no apology for that.
Cllr Robinson said: “Since 2023 a lot of work has been put into the regeneration of the town centre, and something had to be done to protect the new investors and business. So now we can move forward knowing footfall in the town won’t be affected.”
“The Home Office have made the right decision.”
She said a lot more thought and consulting should go into choosing sites and consideration of necessary services for where asylum seekers are housed.
She said: “At what point would residents have been informed?”
Mrs Braverman added: “Those of us who have stood up against this have been called racist, ‘inflammatory’ and ‘divisive’. We are none of these things.
“We are standing up for our country. Well done to the patriotic people of Waterlooville who took a stand for our community and for our country.
“We must not give up.”
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