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Planning Inspectorate
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CROWN/2026/0000005 Helen Simpson

Date submitted
5 August 2026
Submitted by
Interested party

The expansion of the Haslar Removal Immigration Centre fast tracked by the Home Office causes issues for an already deprived area. I ask the Planning Authority to refuse the increased capacity application based on the following; Gosport is regarded as the most or one of the most Deprived districts in Hampshire. Documented socio-economic deprivation and immense pressure on its local public services, including healthcare and infrastructure. The sheer volume of the proposed expansion indicates a high probability of prolonged detentions. This inevitably leads to the risk of immigration bail being granted locally. Despite previous assurances this would not necessarily be Gosport it’s clear from the terminology this is not guaranteed. Given Gosport lacks the surplus public infrastructure, funding, or community services to support individuals who may be released on bail into the immediate area. The Home Office has failed to provide a transparent, legally binding mitigation strategy to prevent this socio-economic strain on our community. The sudden introduction of a 600-bed high-density secure facility directly undermines the adjoining regeneration of the Royal Haslar site into a community village. Furthermore, the immense logistical footprint—including high-volume staff transport, security vehicles, and emergency services—will completely overwhelm the narrow peninsula road A32 that goes into Gosport but the facility is also on the corner of the peninsula which means it has to be reached by either minor roads not made for the traffic increase or Haslar bridge that is was only ever designed for traffic to go one way or another working on traffic lights. The network was never designed or scaled to support a major secure facility alongside a growing residential community. The construction of multi-storey accommodation blocks fails to respect the scale, character, and layout of the adjoining Royal Haslar residential village. Royal Haslar is a highly sensitive heritage conversion site. Introducing dominant, high-security institutional structures directly adjacent to independent living homes. It represents overdevelopment that is incompatible with the adjoining and surrounding residential layout.