Outrage as hundreds of migrants to be housed in UK town for 4 years | UK | News
Campaigners have accused the Government of “betrayal” after court documents revealed plans to detain hundreds of migrants in a Sussex town for up to four years longer. The former student training center at Crowborough was handed over to the Home Office earlier this year and asylum seekers began moving into the area despite fierce local opposition.
Residents had previously been assured that the camp would only accommodate around 500 migrants for 12 months. But documents disclosed in legal proceedings show that the Home Office has asked the Ministry of Defense for permission to continue using the site until 2030. Kim Bailey, co-chair of campaign group Crowborough Shield, said the revelation confirmed what locals had feared all along.
“This is a betrayal. We always knew it wouldn’t last 12 months, but he was thinking of using it for much longer.”
“They just approved the permit through 2030. It’s probably going to be around a lot longer than that.”
The dispute centers on the former military site on the edge of Ashdown Forest, where the Government plans to house up to 600 refugees along with around 185 personnel.
Wealden District Council said details of the proposed extension were revealed in court documents linked to the ongoing legal battle over the site.
The development came “despite repeated promises made by the Government and Home Secretary Alex Norris MP that the camp is only temporary and would not be open for longer than 12 months”, the council said in a statement.
Wealden District Council Green Party leader Rachel Millward accused ministers of leaving residents in the dark.
He said: “Everyone here knows exasperatedly the Home Office’s inability to make decisions.
“People whose lives are directly affected by this are making predictions.
“Why can’t the minister have the courage to explain what’s going on and outline a plan, rather than having secret conversations behind closed doors?”
He added: “The entire project has been handled terribly by the Home Office with a shocking lack of communication.”
The Home Office confirmed no final decision had yet been made and said use of the site remained under review.
A previous application for a judicial review of the migrant camp was rejected by the courts in March, but Crowborough Shield is now seeking to launch a second legal challenge and raise funds to continue the fight.
Ms Bailey said the case now extended well beyond the East Sussex town.
“Shabana Mahmood said Crowborough was just the first.
“It’s going to be from site to site, so it’s really important that we continue this judicial review, because this doesn’t just affect Crowborough. It affects the whole country.”
The campaign group has repeatedly argued that the Government used emergency powers to push through the plan without proper review or consultation.
In an interview with the Express earlier this year, Ms Bailey described the camp as a “simulated war zone” and accused ministers of trying to “bully” communities into accepting large-scale shelters.
He claimed local infrastructure was already under pressure and warned residents feared the impact on GP services, the police force and the surrounding protected forest.
Ms Bailey also criticized the decision to move students out of the educational facility to make room for asylum seekers, saying young people had lost access to a “vital” site with “nowhere to go”.
The government insisted the move was part of wider efforts to reduce the use of asylum hotels.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Whilst it is inappropriate to comment during ongoing legal proceedings, we will strongly defend any action.
“The government is removing the incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the UK. We will therefore close all asylum hotels and move asylum seekers to essential accommodation such as military barracks.”
