Concerns over military site housing asylum seekers with unexploded ordnance
A military site expected to soon house nearly 600 asylum seekers sits on land riddled with unexploded grenades, reports BritPanorama.
Locals in Crowborough have described instances of finding live munitions in their gardens, including a World War II grenade disposed of by Army bomb disposal units. Residents fear the implications of housing large numbers of men with potential access to buried explosives.
The news comes as the Home Office announced a delay to the opening of this site and nearby Cameron Barracks in Inverness, amid rising concerns over whether the spots are “fully operational and safe.”
Phill Straker, a local resident for 15 years, reported unearthing “at least half a dozen grenades and around 200 rounds of ammunition” near the site’s entrance. He noted, “I found the first one when I was doing the fencing which borders us from the army camp, and it was right along the fence line.”
Straker explained that after his initial discovery, which required contacting the Army bomb disposal squad, more explosives have surfaced over the years during routine digging close to the military property.
While he expressed substantial concern over the unexploded ordnance, Straker emphasized his greater worry lies with the impending arrival of 540 undocumented men without adequate surveillance or security measures in place. He pointed out the absence of CCTV and additional police presence, which raises alarm about unrestricted access to his neighbourhood.
Crowborough Camp and Cameron Barracks are slated to be among the first military facilities repurposed to transition asylum seekers from expensive hotel accommodations to large-scale housing centres.
As tensions mount over the presence of unexploded ordnance, locals continue to voice their concerns regarding safety and community security in light of the imminent establishment of the asylum-seeker housing project.
The intersection of asylum policies and public safety remains critical in the ongoing debate about the UK’s approach to immigration and community integration.
