SOUTH Dorset MP Jim Knight today ruled out the chances of asylum seekers being moved into buildings lined up for luxury flats.

Huge protests marked the news that the Hardy complex at the former HMS Osprey site on Portland had been earmarked to house up to 750 asylum seekers.

The plan, following talks between site owner Comer Homes and the Home Office, was revealed by the Dorset Echo after months of delays over a controversial scheme for Comer to build more than 550 luxury flats on the site.

The housing development was finally given a grudging go-ahead by Weymouth and Portland borough councillors last month, but only after some members complained of feeling like they were "between a rock and a hard place" on the issue.

Mr Knight, who stressed he did not know full details of discussions between Comer and the Home Office, said today he felt the news of the planned asylum seeker scheme at Osprey had been "interesting".

He said: "It would be nice to have some certainty over the asylum seeker issue at the site, but the perception I have from talking to ministers is that there's no prospect of that happening, especially given that the housing proposal has now been backed."

Comer's luxury flats scheme was backed after councillors imposed conditions on the plan saying the nearby Boscawen Centre should be leased to a sports trust at a peppercorn rent, 30 affordable homes be provided at the Hardy complex and £2 million be paid to the borough council for 50 affordable homes elsewhere in the area.

Mr Knight added: "I don't know what went on behind the scenes in any detail but the timing of the news about the discussions between Comer and the Home Office was certainly interesting. The idea of housing asylum seekers may well have assisted Comer's negotiations about the development with the borough council but now it's been approved I would imagine the issue is probably closed."

Comer Homes was unavailable for comment.