Crowborough residents in uproar as Home Secretary pushes asylum camp rollout: 'We are petrified!'

The first asylum seekers have been moved into a former military barracks in East Sussex as ministers push to end the use of hotels for temporary accommodation.

At least 27 men have been housed at Crowborough Training Camp, which is planned to hold up to 500 adult male migrants while their UK asylum claims are processed.

The Government has pledged to phase out hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by the end of this Parliament, announcing last year Crowborough and Cameron Barracks in Inverness, Scotland would form part of this new approach.

Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers temporarily housed in hotels rose by 13 per cent to 36,273 at the end of September.

Speaking to GB News, local resident Ben Stevens said: “The town and everyone in the surrounding areas is absolutely petrified and for good reason. We live far too close to this for our liking.

"I’ve got a young daughter, a young family, my wife, my mother lives nearby, and my sister.

"It’s our duty to protect our families, and I’m stood here wondering how I’m going to deliver on that. It’s a genuine, real concern.”

"She says she’ll consult, but there’s absolutely no evidence of that. It’s just lip service.

"She’s going to roll this out across as many camps or military sites as she needs to."

Crowborough, which backs onto the Ashdown Forest, is a small town with surrounding villages that are tiny.

Mr Stevens warned the local infrastructure would struggle to cope with hundreds of new arrivals.

“Local doctors are already under pressure. Getting an appointment for routine check-ups or jabs can take weeks," he said.

"For many who don’t have private healthcare, it’s almost impossible."

The community has been campaigning against the move, holding regular protests in all weather conditions.

Mr Stevens said legal action is being considered, adding: “It’s one of the steps, and I think it’s an important one.

"We hope it goes through the courts and that a judge will see what’s actually fair because this is not fair.”

He added: “The community of Crowborough, the surrounding areas, and other towns that have supported us have been incredible.

"Thousands of people have come out week after week, marching in snow, wind, rain and even the sun. We’ll continue to fight.”

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