There are no current plans to use a Pembrokeshire military training camp to accommodate asylum seekers, the Home Office has stated.

Recently, concerns about the potential use of the Castlemartin Training Camp, near Pembroke, were raised by local Weslh Conservatives Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Samuel Kurtz, who wrote to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP, seeking urgent assurances following reports the camp could be used to accommodate asylum seekers.

Speaking in the Senedd Chamber, Mr Kurtz also raised the issue directly with Welsh Ministers, who confirmed that the Welsh Labour Government has had “no contact” with the UK Government regarding any proposals for Castlemartin.

In his letter, he warned that any move to repurpose the site would have serious implications for national defence and local services.

“Castlemartin is one of the United Kingdom’s few facilities capable of hosting live firing exercises at battlegroup level,” said Mr Kurtz.

“It provides vital training for our armed forces, and any restriction on its use would represent a serious loss of national defence capability at a critical time.”

The MS also raised concerns about the suitability of the location for residential use.

“Castlemartin’s rural setting and limited infrastructure make it completely inappropriate for large scale accommodation. Local health and public services in Pembrokeshire are already stretched, and access to transport and amenities is limited,” he continued.

“The site would likely be serviced by local GP practices, such as Argyle Medical Group, where there are already concerns in the community that access to these services is inefficient.”

In the letter, Mr Kurtz called on the Home Office to rule out the use of Castlemartin, and the nearby Penally Camp, for asylum accommodation, and to ensure full consultation with the Welsh Government, local authorities and elected representatives before any decisions are taken about the use of military or public land in Pembrokeshire.

After the concerns were raised, a spokesperson for the Home Office, in a short response, stated to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, despite fears raised, there were no current plans to use the site.

Pembrokeshire has previously seen military facilities used to house asylum seekers.

Penally camp, situtaed on the outskirts of Tenby, which has been in existence since 1860 as a military training facility, was prominent in the headlines between October 2020 and March 2021 when it became the controversial base for asylum seekers.

Amid protests from inside and outside its gates, the camp housed up to 250 asylum seekers at the height of its occupancy.

It came under fire from its residents and independent inspectors for its poor living conditions.

After the last of the asylum seekers departed, it was handed back to the MoD by the Home Office, who had previously repurposed it. The camp itself closed in late 2022.

County councillor for the ward, Cllr Phil Kidney recently told the Observer that he doesn’t believe Penally Camp can ever be a ‘suitable location’ for housing large numbers of asylum seekers again.