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Hundreds have taken to the streets amid Labour's 'underhand' plans to 'dump' up to 600 asylum seekers in an army training camp at a time when local services are already at breaking point. Crowborough army training camp in East Sussex has been lined up to house up to 600 male asylum seekers as part of the Government's bid to reduce the use of asylum hotels. Today, organisers estimated hundreds turned out to oppose the plans to move hundreds of migrants to the military camp on the edge of the small Sussex town, which has a population of 22,000. It comes as Wealden District Council deputy leader Rachel Millward revealed the local authority had sought legal advice about the move. She said the council was not able to stop the move with their planning powers because the site was Crown land. Locals have also raised concerns about the six hundred migrants registering with GPs in the county, with some already struggling to book appointments. The NHS is required by law to provide services to asylum seekers. Following a council meeting where it was confirmed the migrants would be moving to the army training base, many have become concerned about people walking around in the town that they 'don't know anything about.' 'We don't want people here we don't know anything about,' Crowborough resident, Shirley Hartfield said. 'I don't want to be confronted by them in the street.' The barracks were previously used to accommodate Afghan families evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021 before they were resettled elsewhere. The camp itself has a proud history going back to the war when it was used by Canadian forces preparing for D-Day. Meanwhile, Barbara Mayne, who walked from her home to join the protest, said she will fear for her own safety if the Home Office carry out their plans in the Sussex town. 'No one listens. We should never have had to do this in the first place,' she said of today's protest. 'I'm terrified. I won't be going out at night on my own if this goes ahead. 'They are walking out of jails now. The government needs to know how people are feeling. It's frightening,' she added. 'I'm worried about myself and my grandchildren.' In recent weeks, several prisoners have been accidentally released from prison, one being Epping migrant sex attacker, Hadush Kebatu, and the other being Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif. Both are now back in custody. In Crowborough, Sasha Ridley expressed her worries about being able to make a GP appointment with the influx of migrants, explaining she already has to wait 'hours' on the phone. 'This was all done behind closed doors. We all only found out about it on the news,' she said. 'It's all very underhand. The people don't want it, and nobody is listening. The government needs to listen to the people.' NHS Sussex said it was working to meet the immediate health needs of this community. It is understood migrants would be registered with local GPs for specialist car but primary care would be provided on site or virtually, according to the BBC. Elsewhere, the lack of consultation has angered many, with organisers of today's protest estimating at least a thousand demonstrators had arrived at the camp's entrance before moving on to the green. Nate Austin said: 'We've had at least 1000, maybe 1200 people here today and we all know this is about the community and mothers who don't feel safe. 'Most of the people here are concerned mothers.' However, he maintained the march was 'not about race', but 'community and consultation'. 'The council has not been helping, so the people have been organising this protest for themselves,' he added. Orla Minihane travelled from Epping to support the demonstration with her Pink Ladies group. 'We were asked to come by the people of Crowborough,' she said. 'This is a movement of concerned women and mothers.' Kerrie Knight, also a Pink Lady organiser from Kent, had journeyed to Sussex to show her support. 'We really need this movement to succeed for our daughters and our sons. We need to protect our girls from people we know nothing about,' she said. 'We need people to know we are not Far Right, we are just mums.' Green Party councillor Rachel Millward said earlier this week that the district council would be assessing the legality of the decision-making process of choosing the military camp. She told the BBC that she was 'absolutely appalled' at the Home Office's 'radical mismanagement', and alleged plans had been leaked from the government department confirming the move 'without public consultation'. 'That was a huge shock and a massive disappointment,' she said, while also noting locals were anxious because the had been 'kept in the dark' by the government over the plans. 'People need to be... reassured and understand,' the councillor said. 'They [the Home Office] have a lot of trust to regain.' A Home Office spokesperson said at the time it had been in talks with operational delivery partners as required, and then local MPs. 'We are continuing to assess the feasibility of using Crowborough,' they said. Today, officials said: 'The right to protest is fundamental to our democracy. The Home Office is in contact with Sussex Police. 'This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country.' It is understood all sites will comply with safety, security, health and wellbeing standards. Christine Straker, who lives near the main entrance to the camp, previously contrasted the new arrivals with the Afghans the camp previously housed. She told the Mail: 'They've given freedom to all these boat people and taken our freedom away. There will be 600 men here, not families. 'When there were families living here, we welcomed them.' Mrs Straker said resentment against the migrants has been fuelled by the lack of consideration for local fears. 'There has been no consultation whatsoever. I just don't feel safe. It's just a knee jerk reaction from the government,' she said. Yesterday, fellow resident Lucy Haddon said: 'I'm worried about the old people and our daughters. 'This is an area of outstanding natural beauty, Ashdown Forest is right behind it and these people have no respect for it or our town. 'This town has a lot of old people and some of them are vulnerable. I'm worried about my daughter and the town. 'I don't want her to be out at night on her own and my husband doesn't even want me to be walking on my own. This is all going to be in our back yard.' The camp is home to local cadet groups. 'I've heard the MoD is really annoyed with this because there will be nowhere for the cadets to train now,' Ms Haddon continued. 'We've heard it's only supposed to be for a year, but none of us believe that. 'We moved from London to get away from gangs and crime and 600 is a lot to come to our small town. 'There's going to be nothing for them to do here. What are they going to do all day?' Mother Claire Firmager said her daughter lives near the main entrance and she fears for her safety. 'I've not slept since I heard about it - we were not told anything about this before we heard about it on the news,' she said. 'My daughter lives right beside it with her child on her own and I'm really scared for her. 'I'm going to have to install panic alarms in my house, I'm so afraid for my own safety.' A public meeting in Crowborough on Thursday night heard angry locals demand action against plans to use an army training camp to house up to 600 migrants. Many called for protests and asked why their local MP was not attending the public meeting. More than 300 people packed into the hall at Crowborough Community Centre with hundreds more locked out. The meeting - organised by Reform UK - was called so locals could vent their anger at the migrant plan. Independent councillor Andrew Wilson was the only elected official to answer questions from the floor. He told the assembly he was unable to answer many of their questions. Local Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani was invited, he said. Despite obvious local opposition to the migrant plan, the council had failed to make any representations to Whitehall. Mr Wilson said: 'The council have sat on their hands. There is time to mount a challenge.' Questions from the assembled locals focused on how the community could prevent the plan from going ahead and how the town would cope if it did. Others wanted to know how the men would be vetted and if the local police would be able to cope. 'We have no idea who these people are,' a woman called out. Cllr Wilson, as the only elected politician willing to take questions, said he was sceptical about promises that the camp would only be used for 12 months. The Wealden District Council member of the opposition said: 'I am cynical,' he said. On the size of the camp compared to the population of the town he said: 'I believe this is the largest in the country.' Locals shouted for action and wanted to know why their MP was not at the meeting. 'Why are they not here to answer questions,' one man said, while another asked: 'What are the security checks.' Cllr Wilson said: 'I can't give you any kind of answer.' The few voices who questioned why their local community was so against the camp were shouted down. The army training camp on the edge of town will be home to at least 600 lone male migrants in the new year, the Home Office said. Conservative MP for Sussex Weald Nus Ghani started an online petition calling the plans 'wholly inappropriate'. The use of military sites is part of Government efforts to end the use of asylum hotels, which a parliamentary committee branded 'failed, chaotic and expensive' last week. MPs blasted the department's 'incompetence' over its handling of a 'failed, chaotic and expensive' system. There was 'manifest failure' by the Home Office to 'get a grip' of contracts with private companies it appointed to house asylum seekers, they concluded. As a result, the firms had been allowed to make 'excessive profits' from the Channel crisis. In one of the most damning reports ever published into the dysfunctional department, MPs said the Home Office was 'not up to this challenge' and demanded a series of major changes. The Commons' home affairs select committee said it was 'inexplicable' the Home Office did not require accommodation providers to assess the impact on local areas before opening migrant hotels. It had led to 'some local services experiencing unsustainable pressures', damaging community cohesion and allowing 'misinformation and mistrust to grow'. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels. 'This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities. 'We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across government so that we can accelerate delivery.
