A first group of 27 asylum seekers has been moved into a former army camp in Crowborough, East Sussex, the Home Office confirmed, prompting expectations of further protests and legal action. The site is set to accommodate up to 500 men over several months, as part of a wider plan to house 900 people across two military camps, the other being in Inverness.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the move as the start of a campaign to close asylum hotels, saying: 'Illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities. That is why we are removing the incentives that draw illegal migrants to Britain, closing asylum hotels that are blighting communities. Crowborough is just the start.'
Local campaign group Crowborough Shield, which has raised nearly £100,000 for a legal challenge, urged Wealden District Council to issue a stop notice. Council leader James Partridge said the immigration minister had given the plan the go-ahead, but added: 'I told the minister we strongly feel that is the wrong decision... We have contacted our legal team to ask them to review the decision to see if there’s any way we can bring a legal challenge.'
The Conservative MP for Sussex Weald, Nus Ghani, criticised the Home Office for a lack of transparency, while Kim Bailey of Crowborough Shield claimed the department had used 'underhand' permitted development rights to bypass normal planning rules. Weekly protests have been held in the town, and the Home Office confirmed the site has 24/7 security, CCTV, and strict sign-in procedures, with residents having undergone health and police checks.
