Bexhill Town Council said the event is being held after the plans by the Home Office were first revealed at the end of last month.
On March 29, the Government announced plans to turn the Northeye site in Bexhill, a former prison and training centre, into a centre for asylum seekers.
The site is one of three to be chosen in the UK, and will accommodate up to 1,200 people.
Since the proposals were unveiled, residents in the area have raised concerns, who held a public gathering held outside Northeye on Saturday, April 1 and outside the town hall on April 5.
On its website and Facebook page, a statement from Bexhill Town Council said: "The town council has organised a public forum meeting on Wednesday, April 26 in “The Refectory” at Bexhill College, Penland Road at 7pm.
"The purpose of the public forum meeting is for us to give Bexhill residents a clear opportunity to let us know their views. We will listen and then use this information to formalise our own policy on the subject.
"While the town council is limited in its powers to act in relation to central government decisions, it can lobby ministers on behalf of the people of Bexhill.
"We do not receive information direct from the Home Office and are not consulted on the plans. Therefore, we will not be able to answer any questions on the proposal at the meeting. This meeting is about engaging with the people of Bexhill to inform our decision-making process.
"We have invited Huw Merriman MP, senior councillors and management from Rother District Council and East Sussex County Council, along with their local ward councillors.
"The mayor and town councillors will be hosting and facilitating this public forum at the largest venue in Bexhill that we could obtain at such short notice. We ask that residents arrive from 6.30pm to allow for a prompt start.
“The meeting will be audio streamed live via our YouTube channel, so that you can listen if you are unable to attend. More details can be found on our website www.bexhilltowncouncil.gov.uk.”
At the gathering on April 1 emotions ran high as residents voiced their concerns.
Lisa Marchant, who organised the event, said she and other residents have been delivering flyers outlining the Home Office’s plans, knocking on more than 200 doors. She added that a lot of people were ‘very distraught and distressed’ over the proposals.
Simon Hester, chair of Hastings & District Trades Union Council and representing Stand Up To Racism, said the plans were ‘scapegoating refugees for the Government’s own failures’.
He said: "Refugees are not to blame for the housing crisis nor the NHS crisis. Of course an internment camp is not an appropriate place for refugees but the problem has been created by the Government. Refugees should be allowed to work and allowed to live in our community.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We expect there to be around 800 people in phase one of the site opening by September 2023. We plan to accommodate around 1,200 people by December 2023. The site will accommodate single adult male asylum seekers.
“By designing the site to be as self-sufficient as possible, we would minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes consideration of impacts to the community during both construction and operational phases. As proposals develop, we will work closely with local stakeholders to manage any impact on the local area.”
1. Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1.
Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1. Photo: staff
2. Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1.
Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1. Photo: staff
3. Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1.
Public gathering by the gates of the Northeye site in Bexhill on Saturday April 1. Photo: staff
4. Northeye site in Bexhill
Northeye site in Bexhill Photo: staff