Plans to double the size of the Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre in Clapham go on show to the public on Thursday.

The proposals would create 401 new places, including accommodation for foreign criminals awaiting deportation.

They are being put to residents at Clapham Parish Hall until Saturday.
But many, and both local MPs, have raised concerns.

Coun Cliff Smith, of Thurleigh Parish Council, said: "We had enough hassle with the first Yarl's Wood. I am one of the nearest residents living by the site, so I know all the problems we had when they were building it, then the problems with the lighting, then there was the riot, the fire and everything that followed.

"This new building will be bricks and mortar, and will be in Clapham for evermore.

"We were assured when we had a public inquiry into the Yarl's Wood fire that there would be no more males at Yarl's Wood."

The original Yarl's Wood cost £80 million and held 900 inmates, but half was burned down after a riot by inmates on Valentine's Day 2002, three months after it first opened.

Today it has 405 detention spaces, reserved for women and family groups.
The new set-up would create a unit holding foreign criminals, failed asylum seekers, those who have overstayed their visas and others going through the fast-track immigration process.

Coun Smith also criticised the lack of notice given to the general public.

He said: "It's an odd way of doing things, to simply instruct parish councillors to let people know.

"We asked the Borders Agency to use the local newspapers by putting full-page adverts in to let people know but clearly they didn't do that.

"I don't know how they expect the public to know about these things."

Alistair Burt, MP for North-East Bedfordshire, said: "People remain angry at the way in which they were treated in the past and how their advice on how to organise Yarl's Wood was ignored. I don't think they will be any better disposed to this new proposal.

"My belief is that, whatever consultation takes place, if the Government wants to do this then it will do it. But people should go to this consultation and make their feeling fully known.

"It will be built to a higher security specification compared to the original Yarl's Wood. But the reason there will be security is there is a greater need for it."

Patrick Hall, MP for Bedford and Kempston, said: "I am very concerned about these plans. We do not seem to be learning the lessons of the Yarl's Wood fire.

"I think people are being detained much longer than was the original intention, and if people were not being kept in these centres for so long then we wouldn't have to increase the number of places."

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: "We are doing this because expanding the detention state is a critical part of UK Border Agency plans to increase the removal of those who have no legal basis to stay in the UK, and the fast removal of those who come to the UK and commit serious crimes."

The consultation takes place at Clapham Village Hall on Thursday from 11am-6pm, on Friday from noon to 6pm, and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm.