He said: “The military sites that we are proposing to use … are large sites, they are more contained. I understand there will always be opposition to such proposals as we’re setting out today.”
The two other proposed asylum camps have been met with similar concerns.
Mr Richards said: “Ultimately, the question for politicians, when you’re in government, is what are your priorities?
“And we made a promise to the British people that we would close these hotels, which have caused so much angst, so much anxiety, and so much pain across the country and we will do that.
“Now, that might mean difficult decisions, but we will do as the Home Secretary has said, whatever it takes to close these hotels, get a grip of our borders, and fix the asylum system and we will do that.”
