RUMOURS that the Kingfisher Housing development on land adjacent to Alton College has been commandeered by the Home Office for asylum seekers have been vehemently denied.

Chief executive of East Hampshire District Council Philip Burton, head of housing Julia Potter and Kingfisher marketing executive Jo Martin have described as Òtotal nonsenseÓ claims that the 54-home development could be handed over to those seeking sanctuary in the UK.

And, while being unable to either confirm or deny the claim, a spokesman for the Home Office stated that he has no information about the Old Odiham Road site.

ÒOf course, we are always looking around the country for sites for induction and accommodation centres for asylum seekers and for dispersal units. The type of accommodation we require varies greatly with need but it can range from old hotels and former MOD sites to individual houses. We have also been investigating all sorts of schemes, including working with private landlords and even new build.

ÒBut, at the end of the day, if we had a serious interest in a particular building or site, such as HMS Daedalus at Portsmouth, we would inform members of the public and consult with local councillors,Ó he said.

Fears that the social housing site could be appropriated for asylum seekers were raised following a letter to the Alton Herald suggesting that local people had a right to be made aware of what was going on.

Sadly the writer felt unable to give a name and The Herald has been unable to check out the source of information. But, if the powers that be are to be believed, Alton looks unlikely to be called on to make a contribution to the refugee housing problem.

It will come as a relief to those on East HampshireÕs housing list, and especially the nine families currently housed in bed- and-breakfast accommodation on the south coast.

According to Julia Potter, more than 400 people were declared homeless in East Hampshire last year, serving to highlight the desperate need for more affordable accommodation in the area. The Alton College site is one of three, including Treloar Hospital in Alton and Ramshill at Petersfield, currently being developed to try and address the shortage.

ÒIt is a distressing situation to be put into B&B accommodation out of the area,Ó said Mrs Potter, who believes that the asylum seeker rumour may have been borne out of sheer frustration.

ÒWhen you are desperate,it is easy to perceive that other people are queue jumping and maybe someone has got the idea that this is what the Home Office is trying to do. But asylum seekers are not generally allocated housing funded by local authorities which is meant for local people.

ÒThis would only happen in areas where there is excess housing stock such as in the Midlands or up north.

ÒThe new homes on the Alton College site will go to those people on the housing list who have a local connection with Alton. And while some may be used to transfer tenants from existing properties, this will simply mean that they are vacating existing stock which can then be used for others,Ó explained Mrs Potter.

Philip Burton was equally adamant that there was Òabsolutely no foundationÓ to the asylum seeker rumour.

ÒWe have had similar concerns expressed about other sites in the area such as MOD property at Bordon and East Meon, but these were all unsubstantiated.

ÒThe Alton College site has been earmarked and jointly funded by us, with the help of government money, as part of East HampshireÕs forward programme for housing for local people.

ÒThe type of accommodation sought by the Home Office would be of a different nature entirely to this.

ÒFurthermore, we have had no contact with the Home Office to say that this site is being looked at.Ó

In seeking to confirm East Hampshire District CouncilÕs stance, Jo Martin said that Kingfisher Housing Association would only accept nominations drawn from the district housing list. ÒIf this list should include an asylum seeker this would be an entirely different matter,Ó she said.

Mrs Martin has confirmed that homes in the first phase of the Alton development are expected to be allocated by the end of July.