EXCLUSIVE: HOME Office contractors are seeking sites for major asylum screening centres to housing hundreds of refugees arriving through Europe in and near towns up and down the country, Express.co.uk can reveal.
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The latest in a number of applications being made by firms hired by the Home Office for the thousands of refugees, is by Serco aiming to turn a former failed care home into a screening centre for 120 new refugees at any one time.
The proposed site lies in the greenbelt and is 600 metres as the crow flies from a new estate of £500,000 homes built by Redrow Homes, which will be devalued according to angry residents.
On the outskirts of Widnes, in Cheshire, campaigners claim it will also impact on nearby Warrington and St Helens.
Serco is one of three companies, also including Clearsprings and G4S, which have multi-million pound contracts to house huge numbers of asylum seekers arriving in Britain.
Residents in Widnes were horrified to learn this month that Lilycross Homes Ltd, which owns the former care home, has applied to turn it into an "asylum hotel" for the 120 new arrivals, while their applications are screened by the Home Office and they are found more permanent homes.
There were only 60 residents when Lilycross Care Home was open, but the plans are to double the number of residents by room sharing.
The migrants, who are mainly from war-ravaged Syria, would be housed over three separate floors.
A planning statement made to Halton Borough Council said Serco was rolling out the facilities across the country.
He told Express.co.uk: "My main concern is that nobody knows what the background is to these asylum seekers and weather they have a criminal record.
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The document said: "The application seeks change of use approval from a residential care home, to a large residential hostel, without significant element of care.
"A national renowned company (Serco) experienced in managing such facilities will operate the centre.
"It currently runs similar facilities in the UK, and it is the intention to replicate the model, which has been successful elsewhere in the country."
After the plans were submitted to the council, a Facebook page called Reject Plans To Turn Lilycross Care Home Into An Asylum Hostel was set up, which has attracted nearly 2,000 worried members already.
Mike Dale, who is part of the Facebook group, said he was concerned not enough was known about the potential residents at the point they were housed there.
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He told Express.co.uk: "My main concern is that nobody knows what the background is to these asylum seekers and weather they have a criminal record.
"We could potentially have asylum seekers involved in drug or people trafficking, assault, murder, child abuse, terrorism or organised crime.
"From what I've researched, checks can be carried out through the Police National Computers but not necessarily to the country they have come from."
He is also worried about security implications and the number of people planned for the building.
He added: "It is described as an insecure 'open door hostel' for 120 un-assessed mainly male asylum seekers.
"The 120 people will be crammed in for economic reasons into a facility designed to accommodate only 60 elderly mainly bed bound patients.
"The facility will be staffed by only three people to cover the 24 hour period and with no restriction to keep them indoors."
Those behind the Facebook page are urging people to object, on legitimate planning grounds only, by September 1.
"They will be there while the Home Office are doing checks on them so we have NO IDEA who they are until the checks have been done.
"It's already affecting local businesses and housing sales in the area, we can't stand back and let it happen!"
A spokeswoman for the page said the semi-rural location meant there was nothing for any of the 120 residents to do as there were not even shops nearby.
Today some residents in a different campaign group placed protest banners up outside the site and a meeting with MPs and councillors is planned.
The former Lilycross Care Home closed last August after it was slammed as "inadequate" across all areas by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The home later had its registration with the health watchdog scrubbed after a CQC report said it did not adequately safeguard people from harm and that dementia patients suffered unexplained bruises.
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Inspectors found evidence staff had removed people’s nurse call bells and that pain relief had not been administered appropriately which may have left some residents potentially in pain.
The planning statement added: “It will provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers for approximately weeks, while Home Office checks and other assessments are carried out.
“After three weeks applicants will be moved on to a permanent place of residence or their application may be deemed unsuccessful.”
Single men will be kept separate from women, children, and families by secure entrances on each of the three floors.
The statement said: “The centre will include office space and consultation rooms.
“Communal rooms will to be used for recreational activities, children’s play area and for preparation of meals.
“The company will engage with the local police authority, fire services, community and faith groups to establish a good working relationship between these key stakeholders, staff and residents.
“The building is vacant and its re-occupation has been secured subject to the grant of planning approval.”
Serco was not today available for comment, but has previously explained to Express.co.uk why it is looking at opening many asylum premises in the north west of the country.
In a statement, the firm previously said: "Given international events, there are currently more people than ever looking to the UK for asylum, having fled from the many conflicts and problems around the world.
“As a result there is a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers being put in our care in the North West and we are working hard to find suitable accommodation for them.
"You will appreciate that this is a challenging and fast moving situation and we work hard to keep local officers, not elected members, informed of developments.
"Every property that we use for housing asylum seekers is approved in advance by the Local Authority in which it is located.”
Jenni Halliday, Serco’s Contract Director for Compass, added: “Serco uses a variety of properties in the community in the North West of England to accommodate the asylum seekers in our care and they are all approved in advance by the Local Authority.
"We fully understand both the challenges that local communities face and how vulnerable these people can be and we routinely consult with the relevant Local Authorities and the Home Office about the accommodation needs and to see how people can best be looked after.
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“I think that residents may be concerned that this may put an extra burden on local services, particularly services for children in Doncaster as these are already chock-a-block and I think if we are being asked to house more asylum seekers then the government should be increasing funding for these services.”
A council spokesman said: “The placement of asylum seekers across the country is undertaken by the Government and not local authorities. “G4S is the Government contractor which finds private accommodation in our area.
“For many years Doncaster has played its part in supporting people seeking asylum because they are facing threats to their life or fleeing war-torn homes.
“Our position is very clear in that we need balance. “There are obviously limits in the numbers which can be accommodated and we would expect the Government to ensure equal dispersal nationally.
"We shall be monitoring closely what G4S does in Doncaster.”
Managing director for G4S Immigration and Borders John Whitwam said:“Doncaster Council approve all new accommodation for asylum seekers in their area and we are grateful to them for playing their part to house some of the growing number of asylum applicants in the UK.
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