Asylum Seekers move into Crowborough army camp

27 asylum seekers have moved into the Crowborough migrant camp, following months of local opposition and legal disputes

What We Know:-

• Arrivals: The first cohort of 27 asylum seekers arrived at the Crowborough Army Training Camp in the early hours of Thursday, January 22, 2026, traveling in a minibus with a police escort.
• Demographics: The site is designated exclusively for single adult males between the ages of 18 and 65.
• Capacity and Duration: The facility is planned to scale up to house approximately 540 migrants. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has leased the site to the Home Office for a 12-month period, after which it is expected to return to MoD use.
• Purpose: It is one of several military sites (including Cameron Barracks in Inverness) repurposed to end the use of expensive asylum hotels, which the government aims to close by the end of this Parliament.
• Site Management: The camp is run by a specialist asylum accommodation provider on behalf of the Home Office. Residents are not detained but are subject to strict sign-in procedures and 24-hour security.
• Local Security Measures: Crowborough Town Council has allocated £16,000 for new CCTV and surveillance equipment in the town to address community safety concerns. 

What We Don't Know:- 

• Exact Scaling Timeline: While the site has opened with 27 men, the exact timeline for when it will reach its full capacity of 540 is unconfirmed.
• Legal Outcome: Wealden District Council (WDC) is currently consulting with legal teams to determine if a judicial review or other legal challenge has a reasonable chance of success against the Home Office's decision.
• Planning Permission Status: There is ongoing friction regarding planning. WDC claims the Home Office is attempting to bypass standard planning permission by using "Permitted Development Rights," while the council argues there are inconsistencies in the required Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
• Average Stay Duration: While the government states migrants will stay for "up to three months" during processing, actual durations often vary based on individual claim complexity and wider system backlogs.
• Impact on Cadet Training: Critics have raised concerns about the displacement of approximately 6,000 army and RAF cadets who previously used the site annually, with no long-term alternative training location yet clarified for them.