Barges designed to house asylum seekers are to be moored off Felixstowe coast and Harwich, according to national newspaper sources.

According to the The Guardian the Home Office is considering placing vessels off Harwich and Felixstowe to deal with the rise in asylum seekers, along with the Royal London Docks and Newcastle in the north.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak confirmed on Monday that the government had acquired two more giant barges to house about 1,000 people seeking refuge in the UK and these are expected to be moored in Teesport, near Middlesbrough, and in docks near Liverpool.

But sources have told the Guardian, discussions over the acquisition of further barges and disused cruise ships so they can house asylum seekers in Tyneside, Essex, Suffolk and near City Airport were already taking place.

Essex political leaders deny being notified by the government about the plans.

One said: "To date we have had no communication about such plans, but given this is media speculation and, if true, may just be a long list at this point, that is not unusual.

"If these proposals do materialise then we would expect early and thorough consultation to ensure we have time to properly consider them, apply our local knowledge and expertise, and have any concerns addressed. 

"Without this detail it is impossible to respond to any such plans; our priority will continue to be the provision of quality services for local residents."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow and requires us to look at a range of accommodation options which offer better value for the British taxpayer than expensive hotels.

"This is why we continue to source new alternative sites and vessels to accommodate migrants, which are more manageable for communities, as our European neighbours are doing.

"We are also taking immediate action to clear the asylum backlog by doubling the number of asylum caseworkers to 2,500 and streamlining interviews and paperwork."

It is not the first time the Shotley peninsula has been linked with housing asylum seekers. Back in the late 90s and early naughties, the former HMS Ganges site was talked about as been housed to house refugees.