Home Office apologises for Crowborough asylum plan handling

(CROWBOROUGH, EAST SUSSEX) The Home Office has apologized for the way it announced plans to place about 600 asylum seekers at the Crowborough Army Training Camp, acknowledging on Monday that its approach caused “difficult impact” for local officials and residents. Andrew Larter, the Home Office director of asylum accommodation, conveyed regret over the rollout, which local leaders say bypassed promised steps to speak with the town and prepare services before the news went public.

The proposal and national context

The plan, first disclosed in early November 2025, would turn Crowborough Army Training Camp into temporary accommodation as part of a wider shift led by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to use government sites for asylum housing. According to officials, the department is also assessing around 14 additional sites across the country in a move that could hold up to 10,000 people if approved.

While ministers frame the approach as part of broader reform of Britain’s immigration and asylum system, the way the Crowborough proposal was handled quickly drew pushback from local leaders and residents.

Local response and timeline concerns

Wealden District Council, which covers Crowborough, said it had asked the Home Office to ensure proper consultation before any public announcement. Council leaders say they were first told of the plan on October 10, 2025, and followed up in writing on October 22, 2025 to the Minister of State for Migration and Citizenship.

In that letter the council requested meaningful engagement with:
– Local leaders
– Town Council
– Stakeholder groups
– MPs
– Residents
– Advance notice to prepare services and answer questions

Instead, the council says the Home Office made a Monday announcement without meeting those commitments or sitting down with the community as promised. The council called the move “an act of bad faith,” stressing that officials had been assured conversations would take place before any decision and public release.

“We just feel like we’ve been let down by the Government basically. We’re a small town, 20,000 people. We’re going to be surged with at least 600 undocumented men who are going to have nothing to do,” said one local resident.

Residents responded with a march through the town, carrying signs reading “protect our children” and “protect our community.” Although advocates note that people seeking asylum are often fleeing war, persecution or danger, here the pace and manner of the announcement became the flashpoint, not the legal status of those individuals.

Practical concerns from the town

For many in Crowborough the concerns are both practical and emotional. Local leaders say they need time to assess:
– Safety
– Transport
– Health capacity
– Schooling pressure
– Channels for reporting and support

They also want clear lines of communication with the Home Office on site management and community liaison. In a rural district where services run close to capacity, officials argue even a short delay in coordination can cause ripple effects across housing, policing and primary care.

The apology from Andrew Larter was welcomed by some, but many asked:
– What will change in the process going forward?
– Will the Home Office pause to meet with the council and Town Council before taking further steps?

Policy background and links

Nationally, the government’s approach reflects a decision to expand accommodation options beyond hotels. Analysis by VisaVerge.com says the push to bring sites like Crowborough Army Training Camp into service is meant to create more structured housing with on-site management, while moving people through the asylum system faster once there is capacity.

The Home Office says accommodation decisions are made centrally and that people seeking asylum may be moved while their claims are processed. Official policy explains what support can be provided, including housing and basic living needs.

• Readers can review the government’s policy outline on the Home Office asylum support guidance: https://www.gov.uk/asylum-support

In places like Crowborough, council leaders want these national rules matched with a firm plan for local services and a named community contact before arrivals begin.

Communication failures and process questions

Behind the scenes, the timeline remains a central complaint. Wealden District Council’s October 22 letter asked for time to consult and prepare, but local leaders say they never received the sessions they were promised.

The Monday announcement came as a surprise to people who expected a staged plan with:
1. Clear dates
2. Capacity limits
3. Daily oversight

Opposition parties at the local level have questioned whether the government considered smaller cohorts or a phased start, though ministers say they must move quickly to expand accommodation. The council’s focus has been on process: who was told what, when, and whether the department kept its word.

Community risks and mitigation

Residents who joined the march fear strains on policing and the town’s limited amenities. They also worry about boredom and isolation among men placed in a remote setting with few transport links.

Past research shows that when people are left without activities or clear routines, tensions can rise both within sites and with neighbors. Community groups in other towns have sometimes helped by setting up:
– Welcome hubs
– English classes
– Sports sessions

Those efforts depend on early planning and local support. In Crowborough, the window to build those bridges narrowed once the announcement landed without the expected groundwork.

Advocates’ recommendations

Advocates for people seeking asylum argue that clear information about the site, rules and support helps calm fears. They recommend:
– Early visits by local leaders and police
– Open Q&A sessions
– Regular briefings

The Home Office apology signals an awareness that these steps matter. However, it has not yet published a change to the timeline or a new schedule for meetings in Crowborough. Without that, many remain unsure whether the process will reset or simply continue as planned.

Wider implications and next steps

For the Home Office the stakes reach beyond one site. With 14 other locations under review and a target near 10,000 places nationwide, each rollout will test whether the government can combine speed with trust-building.

Local leaders want concrete actions:
– Advance notice
– Firm contact points
– Written commitments about safety and services

Until those are in place, resistance is likely to continue — not because people do not care about those seeking safety, but because they feel decisions are being made far from the towns that must host them.

As winter approaches, residents and officials say they need clarity on whether the Crowborough Army Training Camp will be used and, if so, on what timeline and with what support on the ground. For families near the camp, the next message from the Home Office — and whether it sticks to prior promises — will determine whether the apology marks a real change or just another line in a fraught debate over asylum housing in small towns.