Dover council approves housing for 15 refugee families but charity workers ‘have concerns’

Dover District Council (DDC) has voted to lease 15 properties from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the Burgoyne Heights area of Guston, in Dover, and refurbish them to be occupied by Afghan families for up to three years. A council officer told members of DDC’s new Labour cabinet: “DDC was approached by the MOD at the end of last year, with an offer of 15 MOD properties on the Guston estate for use as part of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Programme.”

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is a government scheme to allow Afghans who worked for the British Army or government in Afghanistan – such as translators – to resettle in Britain. The scheme was launched in April 2021 – shortly after which the Taliban took over Afghanistan and western forces left, leading many to flee the country.

According to the government, over 11,000 people are covered by the ARAP scheme. The council officer went on to tell the cabinet that the families to be housed have “been in this country since last year and have unlimited right to remain as part of that programme”. Until now, the families have been staying in hotels in Kent.

“These houses can’t be used for anything else, so it’s an addition to our own housing stock for a set purpose. These are not houses that are currently occupied, they are vacant – there are no plans to put any other individuals in, at least until the next garrison change which takes us to April 2026,” the officer added.

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A DDC spokesperson confirmed: “The properties are currently surplus to requirements for military service personnel and their families, and were as such offered by the MOD to DDC for this specific purpose only. Due to future MOD requirements these properties will be returned to the MOD in Spring 2026.”

Cabinet member for community and corporate property Cllr Charlotte Zosseder (Lab), praised the plans. “It’s good to see that we will actually be able to support some of the families who have been supporting the British Military in Afghanistan and be able to do that on a cost neutral basis,” she said.

‘We have some reservations’

Local charity Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN) say that they back the plans, but also have concerns. “While we welcome the news – and would encourage other local authorities in Kent to do the same – we do have some reservations,” said Sarah Munday, communications coordinator for KRAN.

“Of course, it is far better for the Afghan families to be in houses rather than bridging hotels, disused military barracks or on the streets, but we are concerned that the accommodation is only being offered for three years – it is not a permanent solution.

“The government’s resettlement scheme for Syrians is for five years and we know from our work with young people from Syria, that even this is not long enough. Like the Syrians, it will take time for the Afghans to adapt to life here, to learn the culture and the language and to build a community. And what happens after that?

“We also have some concerns about the length of time it will take for the families to be moved into the houses: for example, while it’s really positive that a team is being employed to support the families, how long will this recruitment process take?

“When the families do move in, we hope they will have access to public transport, schools, jobs, shops and other facilities. We are sure the Burgoyne Heights community will welcome the Afghan families: families who are here because they helped the UK in their home country and who faced persecution (or worse) if they stayed.”

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