Hundreds march through Crowborough in protest over plans to house asylum seekers in military camp.

Hundreds of people have taken part in a march in protest over proposals to shelter hundreds of asylum seekers at a military base in East Sussex.

The Home Office said last month that the Crowborough Training Camp will temporarily host them, whilst the government strive to locate further sites in the coming weeks and months. The High Weald site was previously used to accommodate Afghan families who were evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021, whilst they were being resettled.

On Saturday (8 November), opponents of the government’s plans marched across town to the site before protesting.

Campaigners carrying placards chanted as they marched through town to the training camp.

Some waved flags, while others wrapped them over their bodies. The protest comes after Nusrat Ghani, Conservative MP for Sussex Weald, expressed her “fury” about the plans and launched a petition.

“Under the previous Conservative Government, the Crowborough location was flatly rejected. This was owing to the layout, the difficulty of adapting it, and the additional expenditures required.

Furthermore, changing the site would violate the local Council’s Crowborough National Landscape and planning policy.

“I will be seeking urgent answers from the Home Office and Ministry of Defence and the Leadership at Wealden District Council to understand why they excluded Crowborough residents and locally elected representatives in their conversations to date.” “I recognise the strength of local feeling, and I will provide an update to Sussex Weald people as soon as I have it.

“The Crowborough Training Camp has already been rejected as completely inappropriate.”

“If you think Crowborough deserves better, please sign my petition.” A Home Office spokeswoman stated, “We are outraged by the number of unlawful migrants and asylum hotels.

“The government will close all asylum hotels.”Work is well under way, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.”

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