A former RAF base in Essex, turned into an asylum center by the last government, could be expanded despite Sir Keir StarmerI vowed to close it.

The Home Office has revealed it is continuing work at RAF Wethersfield, near Braintree in Essex, which would increase its reception capacity to accommodate some 800 migrants, up from the 540 currently housed there .

The base is in the constituency of the former interior minister James cleverly. He opposed the project citing insufficient transport infrastructure around the site.

The Labor leader said in July that Wethersfield “must close”, along with other major sites. He also promised to prevent hotels from also being used to house asylum seekers.

Last year, Express.co.uk revealed that the site may have been used by the star BBC SAS drama: Rogue Heroes, Lt Cl Paddy Mayne.

This website also revealed that there is evidence that the base, according to the MOD’s own maps, is built on ancient Roman and medieval artifacts, unexploded ordnance and may contain “forever chemicals”.

Wethersfield Air Force Base Museum curator Ross Stewart told Express.co.uk in April last year: “The evidence supporting the presence of ancient historic assets at Wethersfield base is yet another which is why the government must reverse its plan to use it to house asylum seekers.

“There is priceless history here and we must protect it.”

A Home Office must meet specific conditions to continue developing the site. A spokesperson told the Telegraph that the necessary conditions for increasing the base’s capacity would be met.

A spokesperson said: “Work to lift the remaining eight conditions is ongoing and we hope to lift all conditions as soon as reasonably possible. »

Alan MacKenzie, chairman of the Fields Local Residents’ Association, said of the base: “Two former home ministers recognized that the isolation of Wethersfield created so many problems that it was not suitable for a center asylum or prison.

“It would be foolhardy to repeat the same mistake by increasing the number of refugees in this country and the government should seek to close the asylum center as quickly as possible – as it has stated. »