Fury over plans to house asylum seekers in tiny Cumbrian town in grips of homes shortage: Bid to put migrants in eight rundown properties sparks anger

•  Millom is set to house 40 asylum seekers as part of the plans

Locals of a tiny Cumbria town in the grips of a housing shortage have reacted with fury to plans to use eight homes to house asylum seekers – as police increase patrols after the accommodation was vandalised. 

The properties in the remote seaside town of Millom – where a terraced house can be bought for below £100,000 –  are set to be converted into Houses Of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).

Under the plans, the homes will be used to put up around 40 newcomers from overseas, with developers apparently in line for annual returns of up to 15% on their investment costs.

Earlier this week, graffiti appeared on the side of one of the houses under renovation which read, ‘not welcome scum’, in large black letters. 

This sparked increased police patrols in the area and the council to issue a call for calm in the area.

The furore began in January with the posting of a video on social media by developers BH Property Investments, which has close links to leading asylum accommodation providers Serco and Mears. 

The proposals are opposed by the local council and mayor as well as many local residents on the basis there is already a shortage of homes and infrastructure for existing residents. 

Angry locals say there isn’t the infrastructure to house asylum seekers, with the local police station shut down and public services stretched to the brink.

Opponents to the developments say no one was consulted as properties were bought up en masse by developers who then sought lucrative Government-backed contracts to redevelop them.

They point out that residents already struggle to book GP appointments, there are no dentists, the nearest fully manned police station is 45 minutes away in Whitehaven, hospitals are at least 40 minutes away and 112 local families are on the waiting list for rented accommodation.

One local said: ‘It’s already virtually impossible to get a dental appointment in Millom. The only dentist in town isn’t taking new NHS patients and has a long waiting for private patients.

‘It’s also a struggle to get an appointment at the GP, you have to be quick to get in and it’s a case of queuing on the phone and hoping you’ll be able to see a doctor that date and often you can’t.

‘People are having to travel to Barrow and Whitehaven for basic health provision so we’re already at breaking point.

‘These aren’t small distances, I think people in bigger towns are shocked when they discover the reality of living somewhere this isolated.’

In a wave of ensuing anger after the plans emerged, anti-asylum graffiti began appearing on houses earmarked for conversion, bricks were hurled through windows in some properties and builders found tyres slashed on their vans.

The property company’s investment video showed the developer giving a tour around the property whilst saying: ‘We are going to convert this house into a six bedroom social HMO. Once ready we will receive a long term lease, guaranteed income, no maintenance and no voids.’

Locals who saw BH Property Investments’ video formed a group called Millom Community Action Group to oppose the scheme on the basis that the town’s infrastructure couldn’t cope with the influx – and demanding action is taken to stop it.

When MailOnline visited the town on Friday, a public meeting was being held in the chapel for anxious elderly residents.

Police went from table to table to try to reassure worried pensioners that if the anticipated influx were to happen, they would still be safe in their homes.

Safety adviser Dean Myers, 49, the figurehead of the action group, was also on hand to assure people everything possible was being done to stop the plans.

He said: ‘I’ve been accused of being racist for standing up against this, but nothing could be further from the truth.

‘This is not about race or prejudice, that isn’t what Millom is about and the action group has been really disappointed by the graffiti and vandalism.

‘We appreciate that feelings are running high, the town is a tinderbox, but that kind of action solves nothing and we don’t want to see it.

‘This movement to stop asylum seekers being housed here is purely about MIllom not having the amenities and infrastructure to support them.

‘We have local families desperate for somewhere to live and the available properties are being snapped up by property developers because they know they can make big profits from contracts with the likes of Serco.

‘And all this has been happening without any consultation whatsoever, local people found out by accident through word of mouth and now we have houses across the town with teams of builders in them.

‘In 2022 the former Copeland Council specifically mentioned Millom to Serco and the police as being an unsuitable place to house asylum seekers because of its location and lack of services.

‘And here we are two years later with that advice completely ignored and the people of town in a state of anxiety.

‘I’ve had an elderly lady tell me she has walked to see her friend in a neighbouring village for years but won’t now dare set foot outside her house.

‘Another elderly resident is blocking holes in her walls with Brillo pads to stop rats coming in and she can’t find new housing because the available property is being snapped up and turned into HMOs.

‘No thought or consideration has been given to this and Serco haven’t spoken to anyone in Millom to our knowledge, not even the town council.’

Millom Town Council appealed for local people not to take the law into their own hands.

In a statement they said: ‘We urge local people to uphold the law and let this be dealt with through the correct channels.’

The council added: ‘Millom Town Council would ask the community for this behaviour to cease whilst we progress this through the correct channels, with the support of MP Trudy Harrison, Cumberland Council and Cumbria police.

‘We have identified several of the property companies involved and made representations to them as to why Millom is unsuitable and that the council will not support this unplanned approach and will do all it can to stop these developments until proper planning and consultation with the community has taken place.’

The chairman of the council, former postmaster Ged McGrath, 64, said that many more homes could have been affected as more than 20 applications for HMO conversions being made.

He said: ‘The council managed to persuade many developers to change their mind but there is still a significant number of properties in various stages of conversion and I understand why people are concerned.

‘Property here is cheap and developers know if they get a lease from Serco they can return yields of 12-13-14% It’s become a very good investment and it’s driven by the money machine.

‘This is all part of Government policy not to house asylum seekers in hotels and they are trying to disperse them fairly across the country.

‘But they have to choose carefully where they place people and towns like MIllom are simply not suitable.’

Despite the anxiety, the local council has written to the action group to say it is powerless to intervene.

Concerned resident Hazel O’Malley said: ‘It feels like going back in time when you come to Millom, it’s the sort of community that used to exist in a different era where people look out for each other – people don’t lock their doors, it’s that safe.

‘But it’s completely unsuitable for dozens of young men to be housed here, not just from the town’s point of view but also from theirs.

‘What will they do? There’s nothing here for them to do.

‘If these were families fleeing war or persecution they would be welcomed with open arms, because that’s what Millom does, but it’s the wrong place for these places that house 5 or 6 men in separate rooms.’

Town Mayor Simone Faulkner said: ‘This only came to light because people started talking to the contractors working on the houses and it was them that warned people that asylum seekers would be living there.

‘We’ve heard nothing from the companies with contracts to house asylum seekers, that has all happened without any kind of consultation.’

In a letter to Mr Myers, Rob Cartner, Cumberland Council’s Resettlement Programme Manager, writes: ‘The council has limited involvement and influence on the procurement of of properties by Serco, however we have raised our concerns about the potential number of asylum seekers who may be placed in Millom, given its location and limited access to services.

‘We recognise known pressures around GPs and dentists, however, this is an issue nationally and Serco may choose to continue with procurement in line with their contract despite the concerns we have raised.

‘The council cannot veto locations or properties, but we have worked with Serco and Cumbria Police to suggest areas in Cumberland that are avoided due to crime rates, antisocial behaviour, hate crime etc in line with Serco’s contract with the Home Office.’

A Cumberland Council spokesman said: ‘Cumberland Council are aware that Serco have made plans to open a number of properties to asylum seekers in Millom. 

‘We have raised concerns with Serco and the Home Office – and Serco have paused procurement of properties in Millom while these concerns are being considered.

‘The council have received complaints from local residents about this proposal. Serco is contracted by the Home Office for delivery of Asylum Dispersal within the North West, including the Cumberland area.

‘Serco procure properties for the purpose of Asylum Dispersal and Cumberland Council has limited involvement in that process.

‘Where the Council has concerns regarding area, access to services, crime rates, or transport links, we are able to raise these with Serco. However, Serco can still choose to continue with procurement. 

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We condemn any vandalism in the strongest possible terms. We have always been upfront about the unprecedented pressure being put on our asylum system, brought about by a significant increase in dangerous and illegal journeys into the country over recent years.

‘The Home Office has a duty to provide safe and secure housing for asylum seekers and we are continuing to work closely with local authorities in Millom, to manage any impact in the area and address the local communities concerns.’

Serco  didn’t respond to requests for comment.