Dame Caroline Dinenage, Member of Parliament for Gosport, has accused the Government of an “utterly derisory” attitude to those living closest to the Immigration Removal Centre, saying that the Home Office was doing “its utmost to avoid engaging with local people”.

Almost 100 neighbouring residents to the site attended the meeting on Friday 4 September, which followed months of pressure from Caroline over the Government’s handling of the redevelopment of the Haslar Immigration Removal Centre.

The meeting, organised by Caroline, brought together neighbouring residents, local councillors and officers from Gosport Borough Council. The Home Office declined multiple invitations to attend.

Caroline raised her disappointment with the Home Office over their lack of attendance in a meeting with the new Border Security and Asylum Minister, Anna Turley, just two days before, where she blasted officials for their lackadaisical record of engagement with residents and management of contractors. Despite the initial invitation and repeated attempts to secure a Home Office representative, they declined, instead sending instead a two-page statement at Caroline’s request.

At the meeting, which was only open to those living closest to, and most impacted by the redevelopment of the Haslar site, residents raised concerns about the impact of ongoing construction work and heavy vehicle movements, the size and scale of Phase 2 of the site and lack of public consultation, as well as the plans for security and transport arrangements and the need for much better communication from the Home Office.

Caroline offered to take a number of issues raised at the meeting directly back to the Home Office, while councillors also undertook to pursue matters falling within the responsibilities of local authorities and Hampshire Constabulary.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: “I was disappointed that given the tragic record of engagement by the Home Office they decided to refuse this opportunity to meet the people living closest to Haslar and hear what they had to say.

“Residents spoke very powerfully about the impact this is already having on their daily lives, whether that is construction traffic passing their front doors, concerns about security or simply not knowing who at the Home Office they are supposed to contact when something goes wrong.

“I have taken away a number of very clear points which I will now be pressing the Government on.  Most urgent is the need for a clear point of contact in the Home Office to deal with resident’s day to day concerns as well as more frequent and thorough updates on news and developments at the site.

“Residents have put up with far too much uncertainty and poor communication throughout this process. They deserve answers and they deserve to be properly involved in what happens next.”

Leader of Gosport Borough Council Cllr Zoe Huggins BEM also addressed the meeting, setting out the Council’s concerns about the process being used for the proposed expansion.

Gosport Borough Council, have called for an open inquiry into the proposals and for a Community Liaison Panel to be established, giving residents a direct and ongoing route to raise concerns with the Home Office and other agencies.

Cllr Zoe Huggins BEM said: “What we heard at the meeting reinforced exactly why the Council has been pressing the Government for greater openness and much better engagement with the people who will be most affected by these plans.

“Residents should not feel that decisions are simply being made around them. They need a proper way to raise concerns, receive answers and know that somebody is listening.

“That is why we have called for an open inquiry and a Community Liaison Panel. Whatever happens next with Haslar, local people must be properly involved.”

Caroline has repeatedly opposed the decision to use the Crown Development planning process for Phase 2, arguing that a development of this scale should be subject to proper local scrutiny.

In June, Caroline challenged the then Border Security and Asylum Minister in the House of Commons, describing the level of public consultation as “utterly derisory” and demanding greater opportunities for Gosport residents to have their say.

When the Phase 2 application was subsequently published, Caroline submitted a detailed nine-page objection raising concerns about the height and scale of the proposed development, its impact on the surrounding area, transport, security, flood risk and the loss of land previously identified for housing.

Gosport Borough Council have also submitted their concerns both via the Home Office planning consultation and in a separate letter expanding on the inadequacy of the Crown Development process and lack of opportunity for both Council and public views to be properly considered.