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Government plans to house asylum seekers provoke varied responses
(MENAFN) Government plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers at Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex have prompted varied reactions from the local community.
Local resident Lynn Street welcomed the initiative, calling the temporary placement of around 600 people “a good thing.” “They need our compassion,” she told news agency Radio Sussex. “Crowborough is a decent town. We’ll help them out.”
Other residents expressed concerns. John Lowden said it could be “worrying” if hundreds of young men were left with little to do in a small town, though he noted that Afghan families accommodated at the site after the 2021 Kabul withdrawal had not caused problems. “We didn’t really notice it much,” he added.
Colin Chapman, who has lived in the town for more than 50 years, said he was not opposed to newcomers but worried about potential strain on local services. “There’s enough people waiting for [doctor’s] appointments,” he said. He added that the government appeared “desperate” to find accommodation for asylum seekers.
Wealden District Council said the Crowborough site is self-contained, with essential services provided to minimize the impact on the wider community. The council emphasized that safety and security of nearby residents is “paramount,” with permanent security on site. Some asylum seekers may also have opportunities to volunteer within the local community. A petition opposing the plans has been launched.
The move forms part of the government’s broader strategy to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation, a controversial system it has pledged to eliminate before the next election.
The Home Office said it is “furious” at the level of asylum hotel use, which has cost billions of dollars. As of June 2025, around 32,000 asylum seekers were housed in hotels, down from a peak of more than 56,000 in 2023.
The expected costs of Home Office accommodation contracts for 2019–2029 have tripled from $5.5 billion to $18.7 billion. On Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “frustrated and angry,” blaming the previous Conservative government for leaving a “huge mess” in the asylum system by failing to process claims efficiently.
Local resident Lynn Street welcomed the initiative, calling the temporary placement of around 600 people “a good thing.” “They need our compassion,” she told news agency Radio Sussex. “Crowborough is a decent town. We’ll help them out.”
Other residents expressed concerns. John Lowden said it could be “worrying” if hundreds of young men were left with little to do in a small town, though he noted that Afghan families accommodated at the site after the 2021 Kabul withdrawal had not caused problems. “We didn’t really notice it much,” he added.
Colin Chapman, who has lived in the town for more than 50 years, said he was not opposed to newcomers but worried about potential strain on local services. “There’s enough people waiting for [doctor’s] appointments,” he said. He added that the government appeared “desperate” to find accommodation for asylum seekers.
Wealden District Council said the Crowborough site is self-contained, with essential services provided to minimize the impact on the wider community. The council emphasized that safety and security of nearby residents is “paramount,” with permanent security on site. Some asylum seekers may also have opportunities to volunteer within the local community. A petition opposing the plans has been launched.
The move forms part of the government’s broader strategy to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation, a controversial system it has pledged to eliminate before the next election.
The Home Office said it is “furious” at the level of asylum hotel use, which has cost billions of dollars. As of June 2025, around 32,000 asylum seekers were housed in hotels, down from a peak of more than 56,000 in 2023.
The expected costs of Home Office accommodation contracts for 2019–2029 have tripled from $5.5 billion to $18.7 billion. On Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “frustrated and angry,” blaming the previous Conservative government for leaving a “huge mess” in the asylum system by failing to process claims efficiently.
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