Two cadet units held their farewell parades at a training site that the government plans to convert as a shelter for male asylum seekers.

Several protests have taken place against the now-delayed plans to shelter up to 540 asylum seekers at the property in Crowborough, East Sussex.

The Army Cadet unit stationed at the facility held its final parade on Wednesday, followed by the Air Cadets on Thursday.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that it took the “safety and wellbeing of all cadets extremely seriously” and was “scoping options” for them to continue.

Rachel Millward, deputy leader of Wealden District Council and Green Party deputy national leader, told BBC Radio Sussex:

“It’s such a valuable part of our community, and it’s so important for those young people and their families.”

Millward stated that the administration had a “casual attitude” towards dealing with the issue, which was “now shifting”. She went further:

“They failed to take this seriously, they failed to listen to our concerns, they failed to communicate properly, and they failed to plan this whole ridiculous idea.”

‘No final decisions’

The Home Office has released a detailed description of its plans for the location, underlining that it is a temporary solution.

A spokeswoman clarified: “Moving to large military sites is an important part of our reforms to tackle illegal migration and the pull factors that make the UK an attractive destination.”

They stated that they will “accelerate” efforts to relocate individuals to Crowborough and Cameron Barracks once the sites were “fully operational and safe”.

Their statement continued: “We will not replicate the mistakes of the past where rushed plans have led to unsafe and chaotic situations that impact the local community.”

A representative for the Ministry of Defence stated that the government prioritises the safety and well-being of all cadets.

No final decisions have been made about cadet activities on the site, and we are exploring solutions to guarantee that activity can continue with minimal disturbance.

Meanwhile, it stated that the MoD would continue to collaborate with the Home Office to study the potential impact of sheltering asylum seekers on military sites on cadet troops and to establish any “necessary mitigating actions”.

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