Protesters march in town after former military base is turned into asylum camp housing 540 male migrants

Protesters marched in town today after a former training camp started being used as a temporary accommodation site for asylum seekers. A camp for 350 migrants in Crowborough, Sussex, is already up and running despite fierce local objection over resident safety, strain on resources and the scale of the site - with plans to increase its capacity to 540.Huge crowds of residents gathered today holding banners that read 'Crowborough says no', while counter demonstrators also turned up raising signs saying 'migrants welcome', 'kindness is our strength' and 'stronger together'. Sussex Police enforced strict new rules for the protest - organised by local campaign group 'Crowborough Says No' - by banning face coverings. The protest, which involved families and young children, began at the military site and moved into the town centre. It came as up to 500 councillors across Britain are considering following the 'Piddington blueprint' after the Oxfordshire village voted to declare independence from the UK over plans to outnumber locals with male asylum seekers.Residents in Piddington voted 285 to 26 in a symbolic referendum after the Government announced plans to convert a former military base into a camp for 1,256 male asylum seekers.Since the Home Office proposals in June, locals have warned the male migrants would outnumber the 350 villagers by nearly four to one and increase the risk of crime. Demonstrators protest today against the Crowborough Training Camp in Sussex being used as a temporary accommodation site for asylum seekers A vehicle is adorned with the sign 'Crowborough says no' during the protest today Demonstrators march through the commuter town holding flags and banners Counter protesters also turned up with signs that read 'standing for compassion' and 'keep racism off our streets' More signs read 'migrants welcome' and 'refugee rights are human rights'The referendum result, which was declared on Wednesday morning, carries no legal weight - but campaigners wanted to send a message to Westminster. While it is unknown whether Crowborough is considering following the blueprint, locals there have also protested tirelessly in a bid to stop the site in their area going ahead. Plans to use the camp for housing migrants were first announced last October by the Government, before the move was confirmed in January - sparking the demonstrations. Liam Tomsett began organising rallies in Crowborough after hearing the camp would be used to house up to 540 men.The father-of-two, who lives in the Sussex commuter town, set up 'Crowborough Says No' with a friend as they tried to stop contractors from working at the centre.But the confrontations soon became violent, leading to Mr Tomsett's arrest – and the demonstrators began facing counter-protests as others condemned their actions.The utilities manager decided to set up the group after hearing on the radio about plans for the use of the camp, saying: 'I thought something's got to be done about it.' He was arrested and charged with common assault and possession of an offensive weapon, although the charges were later dropped. In Piddington this week, Cherwell District Council in Oxfordshire branded the Government's plans to house more than 1,200 male migrants 'ambiguous' - and said they pose 'avoidable' risks. In its response to the Government's planning application, the district council hit out at what it called 'unresolved ambiguity' in its plans for the site. More signs read 'migrants welcome' and 'refugee rights are human rights' Snacks were supplied at the protest in the commuter town today One woman held up a sign which read: 'Betrayed by our leaders. We have rights too' A woman speaks to the crowd as locals protest against the Crowborough Training Camp being used as a temporary accommodation site for asylum seekers People hold up flags during the demonstration in Crowborough this afternoonIt accused the Government of having submitted a 'concept' rather than a 'sufficiently defined full development', with several elements missing from its application, including a proposed layout.'The absence of evidence is not automatically proof of harm,' the council said, 'but where the applicant bears the burden of describing the proposal and demonstrating acceptable effects, unresolved ambiguity cannot be treated as a neutral factor'. It added: 'The claimed urgency does not justify an avoidable risk to occupiers, local communities or the environment.'The council pointed to several potential problems with the site, which is a former defence storage and distribution centre. It raised concerns about wastewater provisions, surface-water flooding, the ecological impact of the site, access arrangements and the impact on the local community. The council called for an assessment of the former military site, which it said could house 'asbestos-containing materials' and unexploded ordnance.Piddington parish councillor Mike Nixon previously said the site has no pedestrian access areas, and the Government suggested issuing asylum seekers with high-visibility jackets to keep them safe while walking along a busy road, the B4011.READ MORE: Government's plans to house 1,200 male migrants in Piddington are 'ambiguous' and pose 'avoidable' risks, council says