Court allows fresh bid to challenge asylum camp

Permission has been granted for a fresh legal challenge over the use of Crowborough Training Camp as asylum accommodation.

Lawyers for Crowborough Shield CIC said the High Court had ruled that they could proceed with a judicial review, adding the case had been categorised as "a significant planning claim".

Campaigners have raised concerns about planning law, environmental compliance, transparency and fairness.

The Home Office said: "This government is removing the incentives drawing illegal migrants to Britain. That is why we will close every single asylum hotel, moving asylum seekers into basic accommodation like the Crowborough former military site."

Crowborough Shield said it welcomed the decision, adding that its concerns about the lawfulness of the decision‑making process would now be fully considered by the High Court.

Russell‑Cooke lawyers, representing the group, said the decision was made on 20 April and is an Aarhus Convention claim, which limits how much individuals and community groups can be ordered to pay in environmental legal disputes.

Legal director Alix Rejman said: "We are delighted that the Court has granted permission for this new claim to proceed."

Kim Bailey, director and chairwoman of Crowborough Shield, said: "This is really positive news, it's what we've been working towards and none of this would be possible without everyone contributing in the ways they have."

Previously Wealden District Council (WDC) said it would not pursue any further legal action against the government's decision.

Bailey said she hoped the latest decision proved to the council that the case was "not hopeless".

She added: "If they genuinely have the community's best interests at heart as well as the asylum seekers then they will step up, do the right thing and take a full and active part in this case."

WDC is named as an interested party, but is not pursuing legal action itself.

It said: "We cannot talk about legal issues in detail because that could prejudice any further action and endanger the legal privilege which protects our legal advice from disclosure in any court proceedings."

The case has also prompted political reaction, with Sussex Weald MP Nusrat Ghani also urging the council to support the legal challenge.

She said: "Their action is a vital part of standing up for our community."

The judicial review is expected to be heard over one and a half days before the end of July.

The Home Office said it considers military sites as temporary accommodation, "with the aim of reducing the impact on communities and delivering better outcomes for taxpayers".

It added: "The population in asylum hotels has fallen by nearly 20% in the last year and by 45% since the peak under the previous government - helping reduce asylum support costs by nearly £1 billion."

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.