Home Office Delays Asylum Seeker Accommodation at Cameron Barracks

The Home Office delayed the relocation of asylum seekers to Cameron Barracks in Inverness following procedural and safety considerations. This development is part of broader efforts to use former military sites for asylum accommodation, which has encountered planning and classification issues.

Independent Members of the Scottish Parliament, Fergus Ewing and Edward Mountain, wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to state that planning permission is required to convert Cameron Barracks from a residential institution to hostel accommodation for asylum seekers. Their correspondence highlighted the need for compliance with local planning regulations before any change of use could proceed.

Highland Council indicated that Cameron Barracks is currently designated as a residential institution, which differs from the classification for hotels or hostels. The council's position means that a formal planning process would be necessary to alter the site's permitted use to accommodate asylum seekers in a hostel setting.

The Home Office postponed plans to house approximately 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks, citing the need for the site to be fully operational and safe before any transfers could take place. This delay is part of a wider postponement affecting over 800 asylum seekers who were scheduled to be moved into two former military sites, including the one in Inverness.

What the numbers show

• Plans involved housing around 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks
• More than 800 asylum seekers were due to be relocated to two former military sites
• The Home Office announced the postponement in late November 2025

Operational and safety requirements were cited by the Home Office as reasons for delaying the use of Cameron Barracks and another former military site for asylum accommodation. The department stated that the sites must meet necessary standards before any residents are moved in.

Local councils, including Highland Council, raised procedural concerns about the use of military sites for asylum accommodation. These concerns included the need for proper planning permissions and the suitability of the sites for their intended use.

In addition to the situation at Cameron Barracks, local authorities in East Sussex also raised issues regarding the use of military sites for housing asylum seekers. The planning permission process and the classification of such sites have been central to these discussions.

The delay at Cameron Barracks reflects ongoing procedural steps required before asylum seekers can be accommodated at former military facilities. The Home Office and local councils continue to address planning and operational requirements as part of this process.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.