Controversial plans to place 540 single, male asylum seekers at a military barracks in rural England look likely to be delayed.
Outraged locals in Crowborough have staged a number of protests (Image: PA )
The Home Office appears to have been forced into a humiliating climb down over plans to house more than 500 single male asylum seekers in a military barracks. Labour had been trying to place 540 in the army base close to the outskirts of the rural town of Crowborough, in East Sussex.
The decision sparked outrage among locals who claimed there was nothing in the area to support such a large number of unknown men being moved there. Several large protests were held in and around the small town, which is home to just 20,000 people. Wealden District Council previously said it had been told by the Home Office that plans to house asylum seekers in the military facility for at least 12 months would go ahead despite local objections.
However, it now appears that the Home Office is delaying plans for Crowborough. A spokesperson said: “We will not replicate the mistakes of the past where rushed plans have led to unsafe and chaotic situations that impacts the local community.”
Residents in Crowborough said there was nothing for more than 500 males to do in the area (Image: PA )
However, the spokesperson did not rule out plans to move migrants to Crowborough in the future, but said it would not do so until “the sites are fully operational and safe”. So far there has been no detail on the reasons for the delay.
Ministers have been looking at ways of clamping down on housing asylum seekers in hotels, but figures released on Thursday show that the number has actually risen by 13% in the last three months under Labour.
There were 36,273 people staying in such accommodation at the end of September, while they were awaiting a decision on their asylum claims.
Plans to temporarily house 540 single, male asylum seekers have been delayed (Image: PA )
Last month, the Government announced that two military sites, Cameron Barracks in Scotland, and Crowborough Barracks, in East Sussex, would be used to house a total of around 900 men temporarily, as part of the Government efforts to stop using hotels to house asylum seekers.
But both plans have now been put on hold.
The plans for Cameron Barracks in Inverness had received a backlash from Highland Council and local residents. Questions had previously been raised about the suitability of the training camp, which is in need of a £1.3 million refurbishment. Around 300 men were due to be moved to the barracks before Christmas.
Prime Minister Sr Keir Starmer said on Thursday he is “determined to close all our asylum hotels”, having previously insisted Labour “inherited a huge mess” from the Tories, blaming them for failing to process claims leading to increased numbers of people in asylum hotels.
