Hundreds of male migrants being housed at a former army camp in East Sussex will be given their own GP, according to reports. The first asylum seekers were moved into Crowborough Training Camp this week, a site handed to the Home Office by the Ministry of Defence last year, with capacity for up to 526 people.
Residents have staged protests against the plans every weekend since October and the local council said it will “continue to seek legal advice” over use of the base as an alternative to migrant hotels. The Home Office said each asylum seeker will be registered with an on-site GP to alleviate concerns over a strain on local infrastructure, but the move is likely to generate fresh criticism about the premium service offered to occupants during their three-month stays.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “This is another day of shame for the Labour government. This site was used to train 6,000 army and RAF cadets each year as well as for police and fire training. They have all now been kicked out to accommodate illegal migrants instead.”
Mr Philp added: “Illegal immigrants are costing £4 billion a year to house and they pose a threat to local communities up and down the country. We have seen hundreds of crimes committed by illegal immigrants in asylum accommodation, including many rapes, sexual assaults and even murder. Now the women and children of Crowborough will be exposed to those risks too.”
Local campaigner Kim Bailey said: “We will be considering with our legal team the possibility of obtaining an injunction to prevent occupation (or future) occupation of the site and in any event will be continuing our judicial review which the Home Secretary has shamefully failed to properly participate in.”
Other residents criticised officials for “smuggling” the first group of migrants in “under the cover of darkness”.
Eddie Fahey told The Times: “It’s a disgrace we are being treated like this. It is shameful that our justifiable concerns are being ignored.”
The latest Home Office figues show that the number of asylum seekers being temporary housed in hotels rose by 13% to 36,273 at the end of September.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities.
“That is why we are removing the incentives that draw illegal migrants to Britain, closing asylum hotels that are blighting communities.
“Crowborough is just the start. I will bring forward site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities.”
The Crowborough accommodation has 24/7 security with CCTV and strict sign-in processes for residents, according to the Home Office.
They will also have completed both health and police checks before arriving at the base.
