A former military barracks will still house asylum seekers into 2026 despite previous plans to shut next month.
The Home Office was set to hand Napier Barracks in Folkestone back to the Ministry of Defence in September.
But Folkestone and Hythe District Council has revealed the 130-year-old accommodation in Cheriton is not set to close until 2026.
A council spokesperson said: “We have been advised by the Home Office that the number of residents at Napier Barracks has been slowly increasing, although the capacity and maximum length of stay at the site remain the same.
“We believe the site will be decommissioned early next year and released to Taylor Wimpey for its longer-term housing use.”
It comes after KentOnline exclusively revealed that the Labour government was considering extending its use as a mass accommodation site.
Napier Barracks was first used to house asylum seekers in 2020 by the previous Conservative government amid the mounting cost of hotel accommodation, which had risen to £8.3 million a day.
But it sparked fierce opposition – including from various Labour MPs and members – with many believing the barracks should be shut down.
The facility has been plagued by backlash, with several protests held outside.
There have been calls for it to close, including from MPs, charities, church leaders and nearby residents.
The site has up to a dozen men sleeping in each dormitory, with beds separated by wooden partition walls and curtains.
Toilets and washing facilities are provided on a communal basis, sometimes in a different building.
It has been used for the past five years as contingency or temporary accommodation for up to 350 asylum seekers.
In 2022, a High Court judgement declared the facilities inadequate and the Home Office guilty of employing unlawful practices.
Six asylum seekers waiting for their claims to be considered won a legal challenge against the government after a judge ruled their accommodation fell significantly below the minimum standard.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
