Councils across the West of England have confirmed they are not seeking to block asylum seekers from being housed in hotels. The Epping Forest District Council obtained a temporary High Court injunction after a judge found a hotel had not secured correct planning permission. The Home Office warned the ruling could substantially impact its ability to house asylum seekers in hotels if other councils followed suit. Bristol had 802 asylum seekers in hotels in June, the seventh-highest nationally. Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council said they do not plan legal challenges. Protests at some hotels have prompted local monitoring.
Councils across the West of England have confirmed they are not looking to block asylum seekers from being housed in hotels. Questions had been raised after Epping Forest District Council in Essex won a temporary High Court injunction to remove asylum seekers from a hotel in the area. The Home Office warned the decision would "substantially impact" its ability to house asylum seekers in hotels across the UK if other councils followed suit. But the likelihood of similar action being taken in Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire or Wiltshire appears to be low.
Home Office statistics show 802 asylum seekers were living in hotels in Bristol in June the seventh-highest figure in the country but Bristol City Council said there were no plans to challenge the legality of housing them. North Somerset Council also said it was "not currently considering" any such legal action.
The injunction in Epping was granted after a judge ruled the hotel in question, which houses around 140 men, did not secure the correct planning permission from the council for this use. The hotel, The Bell, has been the focus of anti-migrant protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker living there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the town. The protests have spread to other hotels housing asylum seekers around the country, including to a hotel in Bristol earlier in August. Those fighting for migrant rights have also attended demonstrations.
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