Crowborough asylum seeker plans delayed until next year

Earlier this year, the government announced that 540 asylum seekers would be housed at Crowborough Army Camp, in Crowborough, East Sussex.

The decision was met with huge amounts of backlash, with weekly protests being held in the town against the plans.

On December 11, Wealden District Council sent a letter to Alex Norris MP to ask for confirmation that no decision will be made about using the camp until after the new year.

Over recent weeks, people have protested against the plans in the town (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

In the letter, leader of Wealden council, Councillor James Partridge and deputy leader of Wealden council, Councillor Rachel Millward said: “With Christmas fast approaching, we have very significant concerns around the potential for your decision and possible use of the site to take place at a time when the focus of the local community should be on coming together and having peaceful family time.

“This is a challenging period for local service providers, particularly Sussex Police and the NHS as they balance complex pressures and their team’s reasonable expectation of a break with their families.

They added: “Whilst we understand that you and your team do not want to enter into a running commentary on the timetable for your final decision, given these specific issues, we invite you to clarify that you have no intention of ruining Christmas for our community and those that work tirelessly to protect and care for us, and confirm that no decision will be made before 5 January at the very earliest.”

Campaign group, Crowborough Shield, also received a letter confirming the news.

Crowborough Shield chair Kim Bailey said the letter represented a significant development.

“It’s a small, temporary victory,” Kim said.

In a statement, Crowborough Shield said: “Following sustained and continuous efforts by our legal representatives, the Home Office has written to us to outline the following; “No final decision on the use of CATC will be made before Christmas.

“The site will not be occupied in 2025.

“These concessions were made in response to persistent and robust representations from our solicitors and the CS team given the ongoing lack of transparency from the Home Office.”

In their letter, the Home Office wrote: “The final decision on whether to use the Crowborough site for accommodating asylum seekers has not yet been taken, and we are instructed that this will not happen before Christmas, and the site will not be occupied this year.”

The Home Office also separately confirmed that no service users will be moving from Napier barracks to Crowborough, following its closure on December 19.