At least £100 million was spent on Brexit border infrastructure that was subsequently abandoned, closed or used far below its intended capacity, according to a Guardian investigation published on 8 November 2026 using newly disclosed HM Revenue & Customs spending figures.
The reported total covers five inland projects costing approximately £77 million and a separate £23 million border control post at Portsmouth. Not all the sites were unused: parliamentary records confirm several temporary facilities operated from January 2021.
Where did the money go?
The Guardian reported £28 million at Dover White Cliffs, £17 million at Birmingham, £17 million at Warrington, £10 million at Ebbsfleet and £5 million at North Weald. A further £23 million was spent on the Portsmouth border control post. These figures include different types of spending, such as site acquisition, construction and closure.
The £100 million figure is attributed to the Guardian’s analysis of freedom of information disclosures. The complete underlying 2026 HMRC responses have not been independently examined for this article.
Dover site never completed
At Dover White Cliffs near Guston in Kent, the newspaper reports that £21 million was spent acquiring land and £7 million on preparatory works, although the proposed facility was not completed. The National Audit Office previously identified £62 million spent on the Dover White Cliffs and Bastion Point projects combined before they were judged unnecessary. The two figures have different scopes and must not be added together.
Temporary sites did operate
Birmingham, Warrington, Ebbsfleet and North Weald were established to support customs procedures and reduce disruption after the Brexit transition period. In a written parliamentary answer dated 14 September 2022, the Government confirmed these facilities became operational from January 2021. They should therefore not be described as never having opened.
The newly reported costs include £6 million to close Birmingham, £1 million to decommission Warrington, £6 million to close Ebbsfleet and £2 million to close North Weald.
Portsmouth facility operating below forecast
Portsmouth International Port spent approximately £23 million on a specialist inspection facility, including £17.1 million in central Government funding. The Guardian reports that port director Mike Sellers said it now handles an average of about two trailer checks daily, compared with an original expectation of 80. The port has raised concerns about the expense of repurposing the building and called for compensation if changing trading arrangements render it redundant.
Spending watchdog had warned of changing plans
In May 2024, the National Audit Office said repeated changes and delays to import controls had created additional costs. It identified £258 million spent between 2020–21 and 2023–24 on building and running eight temporary border facilities where expected demand did not fully materialise, and £62 million on the two Dover sites subsequently deemed unnecessary.
The NAO also estimated more than £4.7 billion of spending on programmes to implement post-EU-exit border arrangements and improve border performance. That wider total includes customs technology and other work; it is not a finding that £4.7 billion was wasted.
What happens next?
The Government is pursuing closer UK–EU arrangements that could reduce some food and agricultural checks. However, final terms and implementation dates remain subject to agreement, and some facilities continue to perform necessary border functions. The latest investigation raises questions about value for money, possible reuse of land and buildings, and whether port operators will receive compensation.