A holding centre for illegal immigrants at the Port of Calais has been given planning permission, sparking fears that it could become another Sangatte.

The news comes after it was announced last week that similar drop-in centres providing food, showers and health and legal advice would soon be built in Grande Synthe, Dunkerque.

Among the critics is Dover’s Conservative Parliamentary candidate Charlie Elphicke who is concerned the British taxpayer will have to pay half of the £470,000 fee to build the centre.

He said: ”It seems surprising that the Government should be agreeing to pick up what should be the French tab for immigration - and wrong that people should be let through our passport control into a detention centre when the French should be taking responsibility for this problem.”

More than 5,800 attempts to illegally cross the Channel have been prevented in 2009 by UK immigration officers based in France and England, according to UK Border Agency management figures.

Mr Elphicke said he fears that people sent to the holding centre, located past UK border control in the port, would then become the British Government’s financial responsibility.

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas first hinted at the creation of the camp last week.

It will contain six police cells to hold immigrants until they can be deported and will be similar to the detention suite at Heathrow airport.In anticipation of the announcement, Mr Elphicke visited a wooded area in Calais, known as The Jungle, where children as young as eight roamed around before trying to stow away in lorries each night.