Judicial Review Blocked Over Crowborough Army Camp Asylum Plans

A judicial review challenging plans to house asylum seekers at an army camp in Crowborough will not go ahead, a High Court judge has ruled.

The Home Office plans to accommodate more than 500 male asylum seekers at the East Sussex site, which has already received its first arrivals in January 2026.

The case, brought by the local campaign group Crowborough Shield, was dismissed by the Royal Courts of Justice after a hearing on Wednesday.

Delivering the ruling, the Honourable Mr Justice Mould KC said the group had acted “prematurely” by applying for a judicial review before a final decision on the site had been taken.

He added that the claim “should have been discontinued” once the Home Office made its decision in January.

Mr Justice Mould noted that the decision itself could still be subject to a judicial review in the future, with no real prejudice to the claimants.

Crowborough Shield argued that the plans were made without public consultation and expressed concerns about the potential impact on the nearby Ashdown Forest, fearing residents might wander into the woods.

Wealden District Council said it was “disappointed” by the ruling and would be seeking urgent legal advice on the matter.

The army camp plans form part of the government’s wider push to close asylum seeker hotels across the UK, and the proposals have sparked multiple protests and marches in Crowborough since they were announced in October 2025.