The Home Office is preparing to transfer the first group of asylum seekers to the Crowborough army training camp in East Sussex early next year.
This move is a central part of the government’s broader strategy to end the use of hotels for temporary accommodation, a goal Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes to achieve by the next election.
The site is designated to house approximately 540 men, many of whom are expected to be recent arrivals from small boat crossings due to the camp’s proximity to the south coast.
While the government originally targeted a December opening, the timeline was pushed to January to ensure the facilities meet safety standards and avoid the technical issues seen with previous sites like the Bibby Stockholm.
Local opposition to the plan remains high, with residents raising over £50,000 to fund a judicial review against the Home Office.
Wealden District Council has also threatened legal action, citing a lack of communication from Whitehall and concerns that local infrastructure such as healthcare and transport cannot support an influx of hundreds of young men.
Despite these challenges and protests involving thousands of people, ministers remain determined to move forward.
The Home Office argues that the rising number of people awaiting asylum decisions which increased by 13% between June and September makes the use of military sites necessary to reduce the financial burden of hotel stays on the taxpayer.
Officials have begun final preparations on-site, though they have promised to give the local council one week’s notice before the first individuals arrive.
The Crowborough camp is one of two military sites currently being repurposed for this purpose, with the second located in Inverness, Scotland.
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