High Court refuses permission for legal challenge to plans to house asylum seekers at army training camp

Local residents operating under the name of ‘Crowborough Shield’ had applied for permission, arguing that the government had acted unlawfully “by advancing the project without planning permission, community consultation, or due consideration of the site’s proximity to the Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation”.

According to the BBC, Mr Justice Mould said the claimant group had “jumped the gun” on their application for a judicial review. The judge said the challenge had been brought before a final decision had been made and was premature.

Responding to the ruling, the Crowborough Shield said on its Facebook page: “It is very clear that the feeling in Crowborough is we want to resubmit our case.”

Wealden District Council, which participated in the hearing as an interested party, has said it will take urgent legal advice following the High Court’s refusal.

Wealden said: “The council strongly opposed the use of the site for this purpose and argued that the Government was wrong to grant themselves planning permission, has failed to be transparent in its decision-making and reached a decision without proper engagement and consideration of local community and environmental impacts.”

The council said it would now be taking urgent legal advice “to consider the issues raised in the judgment”.

Last November the council served a planning contravention notice on the Home Office over its plans to use the army training grounds to house asylum seekers.