Asylum seekers to be housed on Dorset barge, Home Office confirms

About 500 men to be housed on Bibby Stockholm vessel in Portland Port despite local opposition

The Home Office has confirmed its plan to house about 500 asylum seekers and refugees on a giant barge off the Dorset coast, despite opposition from the local council and the Conservative MP.

In a statement, the Home Office said the Bibby Stockholm, to be berthed in Portland Port, would accommodate single men in “basic and functional accommodation”, and would be cheaper than housing them in hotels.