Minutes of a behind-closed-doors meeting between Norfolk councillors and government officials reveal the department has a target of increasing the number of migrants living in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Breckland by 77pc.

Civil servants said that there were currently 56 beds available in HMOs for migrants in the district but that they wanted to increase this number to around 240.

The revelation comes as the Home Office continues to pursue separate plans to house around 1,250 asylum seekers at RAF Barnham, which is around a mile from Breckland's border.

An aerial view of RAF Barnham (Image: Mike Page)

Local politicians have reacted with fury, accusing the government of attempting to impose a "double whammy" on the area.

Scott Hussey, a senior Reform councillor on Norfolk County Council and Breckland District Council, said the move would "pour fuel on the fire" in the area, which has already seen tensions over the use of HMOs for migrants.

The Home Office did not state where in the district it planned to house asylum seekers in HMOs.

Breckland contains five towns, Thetford, Dereham, Attleborough, Swaffham and Watton.

In two of these, Thetford and Watton, there has already been clashes and protests over asylum seekers being housed in local HMOs.

In a third, Dereham, there has also been long-standing concerns over the use of a HMO hotel in the heart of the town which locals say has contributed to crime in the area.

Police officers outside an HMO housing migrants in Thetford,........

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