'Angry, frustrated and fearful' people protest outside BBC Question Time venue against East Sussex asylum seekers site plan

It was held outside the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill ahead of this week’s BBC Question Time being filmed there.

Residents have raised concerns over the Home Office’s plans to accommodate up to 1,200 asylum seekers at Northeye in Bexhill, a former prison and training centre.

The proposals by the Home Office were first announced on March 29. Since then residents in the area have raised concerns, who held a public gathering held outside Northeye on April 1.

Bexhill Town Council also hosted a public meeting on April 26 to hear residents’ concerns.

Northeye is one of three sites to be chosen in the UK by the Government to house asylum seekers.

Fi Douglas, who went to yesterday’s protest, said: “I went to protest, along with a crowd of about 350 to 400 other Bexhill residents, to show my opposition to the Government's proposal to house 1,200, all male, asylum seekers at Northeye.

“Everyone I saw at this protest was against this scheme and feelings were running high, with people feeling angry, frustrated and fearful about what will happen if the Government succeeds in pushing a problem of their own making into our peaceful little town and making it our problem.

"I grew up in Little Common, which is a tiny village, with next to no amenities whatsoever, full of retirees and families with young children. To plan to house 1,200 men a mile away from this peaceful little village, and about five yards from an even smaller housing estate, full of families with young children, is utter madness.

"Bexhill is also very small and like Little Common, is where many people choose to retire to for the tranquillity. Again the amenities are very minimal and services like doctors, dentists and the nearest hospital are already stretched beyond capacity.

"There is literally no one who thinks this proposal is a good idea, including charities who work with asylum seekers. Virtually everyone thinks it's totally inappropriate to attempt to house 1,200 people in a former prison, which is full of asbestos, near no amenities, which was originally intended to house 500 prisoners."

The district and county councils are urging the Home Office to ‘urgently’ provide more information regarding its plans for the site at Northeye in Bexhill, a former prison and training centre.

A joint statement from both authorities said: “We understand the significant concerns that many residents have shared regarding the proposal to house asylum seekers at the site.

"Both authorities are working alongside other partner agencies and local MP Huw Merriman, to urgently obtain more information from the Home Office so that we are more able to fully understand the proposals and assess the effect this scheme would have on residents, the local community and services.”

Mr Merriman met with Home Office officials on April 12, as well as leaders from local authorities and public services to discuss the plans.

He said the first 400 people are expected to arrive at the centre in September, followed by another 400, with the final 400 arriving by December.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “By designing the site to be as self-sufficient as possible, we would minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes consideration of impacts to the community during both construction and operational phases. As proposals develop, we will work closely with local stakeholders to manage any impact on the local area.”