Northeye

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Proposed asylum seeker accommodation at Northeye  

I am very sorry for the understandable concern that the proposed asylum seeker accommodation centre in Little Common has caused. I fully recognise the significant challenges posed by this proposal and can assure you that I will seek the answers to questions that are raised with me by local residents.

The decision to select this site was made by the Home Office. I was only told about the decision three days before the proposal was announced on 29 March. It has been suggested that I recommended this site to the Home Office. I most certainly did not. Last year, following queries by constituents, I asked the then Immigration Minister if the site was being considered. I was told it was not. I gave my views on the site, and the proximity to the town, at that time.

Following the announcement of the proposal, at my request, the Home Office committed to working closely with me and the wider community. Since then, I have had meetings and regular discussions with the Immigration Minister, convened and chaired a meeting between the Home Office officials leading the on the proposals and the leaders of our statutory local service providers, and met, and continue to have discussions with, local residents about the challenges of the proposal.  

I have committed to publishing all of the information that has been provided to me about the proposal by the Home Office. I will continue to ensure that my website is fully updated going forward.

Proposal updates

29.01.24 - Northeye proposal public meeting

10.01.24 - Details of my public meeting to discuss Home Office proposal for the Northeye site

03.11.23 - My letter to the Immigration Minister, and his response, regarding Northeye as a 'detained' site proposal

17.10.23 - Update on proposal and meeting with Northeye estate residents

31.08.23 - Update on proposal: Northeye to be a detained site if proposal goes ahead

22.06.23 - Response received from Home Office to questions raised by Northeye residents

02.06.23 - Update on the proposal including the response received from the Home Office to questions raised by myself and residents

22.05.23 - Update on the proposal 

27.04.23 - Statement on public meetings and BBC Question Time

14.04.23 - Summary of further information and next steps from meeting with Home Office officials and leaders of our local service providers

12.04.23 - Update on meeting in Bexhill between Home Office officials and statutory local service provers  

30.03.23 - Proposal Frequently Asked Questions

29.03.23 - Statement on Asylum Seeker Accommodation Site in Bexhill

Bexhill and Battle Observer articles

21.04.23 - I'm working across Government rather than burning bridges

11.04.23 - My main concern with Northeye plan is that residents feel safe

Government asylum policy reform

Government measures to tackle illegal migration

Illegal Migration Bill factsheet

News

Huw seeks clarity on 'detained' Northeye proposal with Immigration Minister

Following the Home Office's update on the proposal on Northeye in late August, and the subsequent updating on the online Factsheet, I wrote to the Minister of State for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, asking for his confirmation that the only proposal being looked at for the site is that of a 'detained

Northeye Update, 17 October

Last Friday evening (13 October), I held a meeting with the residents of the Northeye Estate.  These are the residents who will be most impacted by the Home Office proposals to house illegal migrants on the former training centre site at Northeye.  I first met these residents last April fo

Northeye Update, 31 August

I am pleased to share changes to the proposed asylum centre at Northeye, Bexhill.  The leading concern brought to me by Bexhill residents was the proposal that 1200 asylum seekers would be free to come and go in circumstances where security is difficult to assess.

Northeye Update, 22 June

Last month, I submitted a series of questions to the Home Office regarding the Northeye proposal that had been raised with me by residents of the Northeye estate. I have now received a response from the Home Office which I am publishing given my commitment to ensuring that all the information I rec

Northeye Update, 2 June

Dear Residents,  I have received a response from the Home Office to the many questions which I have raised, on my own behalf, and on behalf of residents, about the proposed Northeye asylum centre.  I am attaching these answers, which you will find below this message, given my commit

Northeye Update, 22 May

I have continued to hold meetings with residents and community leads to discuss the challenges of the proposed immigration centre.

I'm working across Government rather than burning bridges

In my last column I wrote about the government’s proposal to house asylum seekers at the Northeye site in Bexhill.  At that point, the news was still very new for residents and our public service providers.

Northeye Update: Summary of Further Information and Next Steps

On Wednesday (12 April), I convened and chaired a meeting in Bexhill with Home Office officials and leaders of our local service providers to discuss the plans for Northeye and the community challenges which this proposal has raised. Our aim during the meeting was to seek more detail about the prop