A PEMBROKESHIRE military training base which was used to house asylum seekers has been put up for sale.

Penally Training Camp in the Penally area of Tenby has been put up for sale by the UK Government.

The camp was opened in 1860 and is a piece of history for Pembrokeshire, both in military and immigration terms.

The UK Government said the 5.8223-hectare site is classified as ‘other land’ and is for sale as ‘land only’ meaning that planning permission from Pembrokeshire County Council would be needed for any form of change of use or to make any changes to the site itself.

The 85.9846-hectare rifle range and the 0.1740-hectare sewage works on the site are also included for sale with the same classifications.

Any work that could fall on the rifle range would be subject to approval from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

In 1860, the camp was open for musketry training after the Crimean War and was used by both the British and Allied troops during both the First and Second World Wars.

Western Telegraph: Penally Training Camp is now up for sale. Picture: Gareth Davies Photography

In more recent times, it was used by regular, reserve and cadet forces as a defence training establishment, and the 50 huts provided accommodation for units using the nearby air defence range at Manorbier.

Between October 2020, and March 2021, the base hit headlines as it became the new home for a number of asylum seekers. The Home Office placed up to 250 people in the camp at one time.

Both the local community and asylum seekers themselves protested against the use of the site, with independent inspectors joining the asylum seekers in slamming 'poor living conditions'.

Once the last asylum seeker was moved out from the camp, the Home Office handed it back to the Ministry of Defence, who closed the camp in December 2022.

A spokesperson from the MoD told the Western Telegraph at the time: “We have agreed Penally Camp is no longer required for military training purposes and the camp has been closed.

“The site will now be considered for wider defence purposes, use by other government departments and, if it is deemed surplus to requirements, will be offered for disposal.”

The listing can be found on the UK Government’s property finder https://e-pims.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/government-property-finder/Home.aspx