Immigration enforcement officers arrested 17 men at the £130m Circus Street construction site in Brighton, after receiving “intelligence”
Immigration enforcement officers from the Home Office conducted the search into the Circus Street construction site in central Brighton from around 10am yesterday (7 April).
Local newspaper The Argus said immigration officers faced backlash from protesters chanting “stop deportations” during the raid.
Developers U&I, building company Henry construction, and local residents met later that evening.
In comments to The Argus, a spokeswoman for U&I said: “We are committed to ethical practice and our contracts with construction contractors require that they abide by employment and immigration law and that all site personnel are qualified to come on site.
“We are aware that Home Office officials have visited the site this morning, and we are unable to provide any further details until their investigation is complete.’’
Henry Construction also told the BBC it had “fully complied” with the Home Office investigation.
142 new homes, accommodation for 450 students and office space is being built on the Circus Street construction site of a former fruit and vegetable market.
This £130m PPP with Brighton and Hove City Council will provide the local area with a new base for the internationally acclaimed South East Dance called The Dance Space which will include a theatre and studios catering for local community participation and attracting around 70,000 visitors and users per year.
Upon completion, Circus Street will have achieved over 400 new jobs and more than £200m gross value added to the local economy in the next 10 years. There will be a big focus on travel by bike and foot, a push for green energy and residential design that encourages more communal, responsible, neighbourly living among tenants.
