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Immigration officers arrest 16 at Anglesey solar farm

Gareth Wyn Williams
BBC Wales News
BBC A general view of the Porth Wen solar farm, near Cemaes on Anglesey. The majority of the picture if the silver solar panels which surround field with a few sheep. There are wind turbines in the background of the field. BBC
The Home Office confirmed that the arrests were made at Porth Wen solar farm on 20 March

Sixteen workers at an Anglesey solar farm have been arrested on suspicion of working without proper documentation.

Immigration officers visited the Porth Wen solar farm, near Cemaes, on 20 March, the Home Office confirmed, after a referral notice was served on the subcontractor working on the company's behalf.

The Porth Wen solar farm development was given planning permission in 2017 despite local opposition.

EDF, the project developer, said it was liaising with its contractors to review process and "ensure more stringent measures are in place".

Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS for Anglesey, said there had been a "significant failure" in "ensuring due diligence was undertaken" beforehand.

He said that workers being hired without the necessary work visas was "very alarming".

He added that his office has been in contact with EDF.

"Whilst I understand that they have asked sub-contractors to review all of the permits in place for their workers, it will do little to satisfy the wider local concerns surrounding a project which threatens large swathes of productive agricultural land," he said.

Getty Images Rhun ap Iorwerth wearing a blue navy suit with a light blue shirt and a burgundy tie. He is standing in front of blurred background of trees and is smiling at the camera. Getty Images
Rhun ap Iorwerth says workers being hired without the necessary work visas is "very alarming"

The development was given planning permission in 2017 and it was stated that the panels would be capable of powering more than 15,500 average UK homes a year.

But there had been concern on the island following a flurry of recent solar proposals.

The news that workers have been brought in and employed on the Porth Wen site without the necessary permits raises further concerns about the absence of real local benefits, ap Iorwerth added.

Earlier this week, opening the government's border security summit, Sir Keir Starmer said that 24,000 people who "have no right to be here" have been returned since Labour took power.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Organised Immigration Crime is a multi-million pound industry, which stretches from the trafficking routes thousands of miles away through which people are brought to our country to the high streets across Britain where many of those people end up working illegally.

"As part of our Plan for Change, this government is cracking down on that criminal industry at every level, including stepping up our visits to businesses where illegal working is taking place and increasing our enforcement action both against illegal workers and the people who employ them."