Facilities database › 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Napier Barracks
Was: A historic army barracks forming part of the Ministry of Defence’s Shorncliffe Garrison.
Napier Barracks is a historic military site situated within Shorncliffe Garrison in Folkestone, Kent. In September 2020, the UK Home Office repurposed a fenced-off section of the site to provide communal accommodation for single adult male asylum seekers.
Context & Legal Challenges: The site was highly controversial throughout its operation. Following a major COVID-19 outbreak and a fire at the facility in 2021, the UK High Court ruled that the Home Office acted unlawfully by housing asylum seekers in squalid, dormitory-style conditions. Despite strong opposition from Folkestone & Hythe District Council, the central government bypassed local planning authorities using a Special Development Order (SDO) to keep the site open.
Closure: After housing asylum seekers for over five years, the Home Office officially closed the Napier Barracks asylum facility in December 2025. The site was emptied and handed back to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in early 2026 to prepare the land for potential transfer to a private housing developer.
Funding & Contractors: During its operational years, the facility was entirely funded by the UK central government. The daily operations, property management, and security of the site were contracted out to the private company Clearsprings Ready Homes.