Former Northeye prison site in Bexhill to be redeveloped for housing, Government confirms
A derelict former prison and training centre site in Bexhill that was earmarked for an immigration detention will be redeveloped into housing, the Government has announced.
On Monday (February 16) Homes England said the Home Office has officially transferred the empty Northeye site to the housing agency.
It said it 'intends to bring the site forward for housing development in partnership with the council and the local community'.
Amy Rees, chief executive of Homes England, said: "The transfer of the Northeye site represents not only a significant local milestone but also a clear example of Homes England’s national strategy in action, unlocking public land, working in partnership with places, and helping to deliver the homes and places communities need for the future.
"This transfer means we can now start work to bring the former Northeye site back into use. By working with the council and the local community, we want to help deliver new homes that meet local needs and support Bexhill’s future."
Homes England said the agency will begin site maintenance while proposals for development are worked on.
A spokesperson said: "The transfer directly supports Homes England’s recently launched Strategic Plan 2025–2030, which sets out a national mission to accelerate housing delivery and unlock public land for regeneration."
The former Northeye prison in Bexhill was bought by the Home Office, under the previous Conservative government, in 2023 for £15.4 million to house asylum seekers.
But site surveys showed the derelict buildings on the site were contaminated with asbestos, rendering the facility unusable.
The Home Office was later criticised over its ‘disastrously managed acquisition’ of Northeye.
The Public Accounts Committee said the Home Office rushed to spend public money in trying to reduce the cost of supporting asylum seekers.
It added that it ‘ignored opportunities to properly understand the risks and costs’ of developing Northeye in Bexhill, which led to ‘poor value for money for the taxpayer’.
The initial plans to turn Northeye into an immigration centre for asylum seekers attracted widespread opposition from residents after they were first unveiled in March 2023.
Northeye was one of several sites chosen by the Home Office for accommodation centres for asylum seekers to be built.
Several protests were held in Bexhill, organised by the No to Northeye group.
In December 2024, it was officially confirmed by the Home Office that the plan to convert Northeye into a centre for up to 1,200 asylum seekers would not take place.