THE number of Herefordians moving abroad is on the rise – but migrants and Londoners are taking their place.

Herefordshire has become a conveyor belt of immigration, according to the latest population study.

The study, compiled by Herefordshire Council and the Office of National Statistics, was released last month and covers 2006/07.

The county’s population is estimated at 178,400.

Hereford is the largest urban centre, with 55,000 people. Some 38,000 people live in the market towns, with Leominster remaining the largest with 11,000 residents.

The report found that Herefordshire’s population grew by two per cent between 2001 and 2007, helped by a rising number of immigrants.

Some 700 people arrived from overseas between 2006-07, with Poland (38 per cent), Bulgaria (32 per cent) and Romania (10 per cent) providing the biggest numbers. Seasonal workers exceed that figure, but are not counted as permanent residents.

The county also gained 600 people from other parts of the UK – 6,900 came in, while 6,300 went out. Most are from London and the 20-24 age group, while a handful arrived from the North East, South Coast and Anglesey.

However, the county also lost that figure in people moving overseas. About 1,200 people moved abroad between 2005 and 2007, compared to 900 in the two years before.

France and Spain remain the most popular destinations for the middle-aged and retired, but English speaking countries are becoming more popular with the working ages.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada reported more than 1,000 visa applications from the West Midlands during the first nine months of 2008, while Halifax International reports that three in 10 Britons are considering immigration.