More than 25,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year, Home Office figures show.
This is the earliest point in the year at which the 25,000 milestone has ever been passed.
It comes as the Home Office announced it was increasing capacity to house asylum seekers by 50% at a former RAF base in Essex from Thursday.
An extra 445 beds will be added to the 800 already at the Wethersfield asylum centre to help deal with the crisis.
Some 898 migrants were detected crossing the Channel on Wednesday alone, making the journey in 13 boats.
It means 25,436 arrivals have been recorded since January 1. Last year, 25,000 arrivals was passed on September 22.
MDP Wethersfield houses more asylum seekers than any other location in Britain. It has been home to hundreds of single men since July 2023.
But Braintree District Council said it expects this to begin rising from 800 to 1,245 people from July 31 onward.
Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, said: “At the earliest opportunity, I updated the council that the Home Office was considering this option for Wethersfield due to record small boat arrivals.
“We now have had confirmation of the plans, along with more details on how this would operate.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and, along with other partners, hold the Home Office to account to ensure that the site runs safely alongside the local community.”
The council said it expects to see an increase of 60 new arrivals each week at the base. Men will stay there for a maximum of nine months before being sent on to accommodation outside of the Braintree area.
Mr Butland added: “This does not change what we have been saying for more than two years since we first learnt of the Home Office’s plans; this disused airbase in a very rural area does not have the infrastructure to host asylum seekers on such a large scale.”
The first year in which at least 25,000 migrant arrivals were recorded was 2022, when the milestone was passed on August 27, and the total went on to hit a record 45,774 by the end of December.
