Couple’s dream house move ruined as buyers stop £340k sale over fears about 250 migrants moving to Army base next door
A COUPLE’S dreams of selling their home so they can move closer to their granddaughter have been shattered after buyers pulled out of the £340k sale over 250 migrants moving into an army base next door.
Retired Stephen Robinson, 69, and his wife, Susan, 67, had found a buyer for their four-bed bungalow in Penally, Pembrokeshire, after deciding to move during lockdown.
But when their buyers discovered an army barracks less than 100 metres away is now being used as temporary housing for hundreds of asylum seekers they U-turned on the deal.
Penally Training Camp this week became one of two sites in the UK to welcome hundreds of asylum seekers after a surge in migrants crossing the Channel this summer.
The village currently has only 2,000 residents and the decision sparked angry scenes as protesters – many said to have come from outside Wales – clashed with police outside the facility.
Devastated Stephen said: “We got a phone call from the estate agent yesterday telling us the buyers had heard about the asylum seekers and no longer wanted to move in.
“They’d had a survey and most of the legal work done and we’d had our offer on a new place accepted, but now our plans are in ruins.
“I’d say our home will be impossible to sell at any price. I doubt we could give it away.
“It’s utterly heartbreaking because we want to move back to Stockport, where we’re from originally, to be near our three children and our first granddaughter, who was born a year ago.
“We’ve hardly seen her because of lockdown and with restrictions tightening again we wonder when we’ll ever see her now.”
Stephen, a retired electrical engineer, and Susan, a retired clerical officer, bought the bungalow 10 years ago.
Susan added: “I have nothing against them personally. I’m sure they are lovely people and they’ll be welcomed by the community but it is so distressing for us to lose our dreams because of them being put up here.”
It is believed fewer than 20 migrants are currently being housed there but plans to relocate up to 250 men to the centre over the coming weeks.
The migrants will stay in Penally until their claims for asylum are settled.
Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, will also take in around 400 people who have recently arrived in Britain.
People living near the site in Penally were split on the decision today.
Retired banker Peter Hart, 79, and his retired legal secretary wife Nesta, 75, said they do not welcome the relocation of the migrants to Penally.
Speaking from their home, which neighbours the army centre, Nesta said: “It is ridiculous housing them so close to a village like this. We know nothing of these men’s backgrounds.
“We’ll be locking our doors day and night. Many of the residents here are elderly and they’re very afraid.
“It is bound to put added pressure on our local resources, such as surgeries, hospitals and transport.
“Even now we can’t sleep at night because of the noise from the protestors. It’s driving us round the bend.”
Another resident, Julie Davies, 56, said: “This isn’t an appropriate place for asylum seekers to be housed. No one knows anything about them. They are an unknown entity and locals are understandably frightened.”
Some locals have been tying paper tags with handwritten welcome messages to fencing at the entrance of the site.
One said: Hope to meet you soon. Welcome to Wales.”
Another read: “Salam! Welcome beautiful people.”
And another added: “So happy to welcome you to Wales.”
One local, who asked not to be named, said: “These people will have gone through hell to get to the UK and we should be helping them feel safe, not continuing to persecute them.
“It’s no skin off out noses to put them up in Penally and to make them feel supported and welcome.”
Local politicians claimed protests outside the facility had been infiltrated by far-right extremists from outside the area.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “It has led to hard-right extremist groups from right across the United Kingdom who’ve heard about this and think this is a cause that they can latch on to and exploit.”
Police remain at the site today and a are reviewing footage of protests on Monday and Tuesday night.
A 50-year-old man was arrested last night in connection with one of the demonstrations.
Superintendent Anthony Evans, divisional commander for Pembrokeshire, said: “We understand that tensions are running high in the community, but (the protests) endangered everyone and caused understandable alarm.
“We are actively reviewing a significant amount of footage extracted from our officers’ body worn cameras, from footage shared to social media and intelligence obtained from other sources. Those identified committing criminal offences will be prosecuted.”
The Home Office said the site is being used as a temporary facility to house asylum seekers as accommodation in south-east England is under strain and officials would work with Pembrokeshire Council to reassure residents.
A spokesperson said: “During these unprecedented times, the government is working with a range of partners and across departments to secure further accommodation, and the MoD has offered use of some of its sites.
“When using contingency accommodation we work closely with organisations, including local authorities and law enforcement, throughout the process to ensure value for money and that vulnerable asylum seekers, who would otherwise be destitute, have suitable accommodation while their claims are processed.”
