The tranquil East Sussex town of Crowborough, once famed for its literary connections to Winnie-the-Pooh and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, finds itself at the heart of a fierce national debate. From Monday, its local Army training camp will begin a controversial new chapter, transitioning from a Ministry of Defence site to a Home Office facility for around 600 asylum seekers.
A Community United in Opposition
The plan, announced just six weeks ago, has ignited a firestorm of local protest. A series of demonstrations, the largest drawing a crowd of 4,000 people, have taken place, with more planned for this weekend. The final cadet group was applauded out of the 37-acre camp on Thursday night by a small group of protesting residents.
Opposition spans the political spectrum, from Greens to Reform UK supporters and everything in between. Leading the charge is Kim Bailey, a public-sector manager and mother-of-four with no prior political activism, who founded the community interest company Crowborough Shield. In a remarkable show of grassroots organisation, the group has raised £62,000 through crowdfunding to secure legal representation and seek a judicial review against the Home Office's decision.
Local MP Nus Ghani, a Conservative and Deputy Speaker of the Commons, was not given advance notice of the plans. She reports anecdotal evidence that house prices in the wider area have already fallen by approximately 10%, a devastating blow for families relying on their property as their primary asset.
Safety Fears and a 'Vacuum of Information'
Residents express profound anxiety about the imminent arrival of what they describe as hundreds of "undocumented, unoccupied, fighting-age single men". Their concerns focus on the lack of CCTV, poor street lighting, limited public transport, and the proximity of seven schools. Accountant Aimee Stittle, who recently moved from London with her young family, stated she no longer feels safe walking her dog after dark.
This fear has led to the formation of an unofficial community security group, 'Crowborough Patrol', which is already organising patrol shifts and sourcing bodycam equipment. Michael Lunn, a local beef farmer and Tory councillor involved in the group, stresses the campaign is community-first, supported by people of all political stripes.
Frustration is compounded by what many see as a lack of engagement from local authorities. Councillor Andrew Wilson, an independent, called an emergency council scrutiny meeting only to find the police declined to attend, stating they had nothing to say. A 7ft green screen erected around the site this week, ostensibly for privacy, has further fuelled resentment and a sense of secrecy.
More Than Just 'Epping Mk II'
While parallels are drawn with the ongoing situation in Epping, Essex, where a hotel was commandeered for asylum seekers, locals insist Crowborough's case is distinct. The political landscape is different; the area is represented by a Liberal Democrat-Green-Labour coalition council and leans Conservative in general elections. The protest is not led by far-right figures but by ordinary, concerned citizens.
A key point of contention is what residents perceive as hypocritical planning enforcement. MP Nus Ghani notes that locals face strict rules preventing them from building granny flats or converting outbuildings due to the area's proximity to Ashdown Forest, yet the government can unilaterally transform the use of a 37-acre site.
The council's initial response has been criticised as weak. Council leader James Partridge wrote to the Home Office expressing a desire to "work with you to ensure your plans are as effective as possible". His Green deputy, Rachel Millward, released a viral video expressing sympathy for the incoming "surgeons and doctors and lawyers", a sentiment met with derision by protesters at the camp gates.
Only one vocal supporter of the plan, psychologist Paulina Slater, approached protesters during a recent gathering, accusing them of creating a hostile atmosphere and stating asylum seekers "need somewhere to live".
With the first arrivals expected imminently on a "come-and-go-as-you-please" basis, and a judicial review pending, Crowborough remains a tinderbox. The Home Office states it will begin moving people in only when the site is "fully operational and safe", vowing not to repeat past mistakes. For the anxious residents of this Sussex town, that assurance offers little comfort as they brace for a profound and unwanted change to their community.
