We know many residents have voiced concerns about the proposals from the Home Office for the Northeye site in Bexhill.

We too are waiting for full facts about how the proposal to use the site to house people seeking asylum would be implemented. Rother District Council and East Sussex County Council were informed of the proposal late in the afternoon on Tuesday 28 March – a few hours before it was announced at lunchtime on Wednesday 29 March. There had been no previous discussions with the government.

As we said in our earlier statement, we are assessing the implications of the proposal and the impact it would have on the local community. We will then consider any further actions. We will ask the government to ensure the Home Office acts on all local concerns.

We are working with councils in other parts of the country where potential sites have also been identified by the government and with councils where similar facilities already exist to learn from their experiences.

We are very aware that the uncertainty around the issue is not helpful for residents and businesses in Bexhill and we are asking the Home Office, as a matter of urgency, to set up ways to consider and answer your questions.

The Home Office has provided an email address for further enquiries: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

The Home Office also published a fact sheet with some more information about its proposals: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-accommodation-factsheets