Bedford mayor asks council to see if asylum hotel ruling could be used in town
Bedford mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) has welcomed a High Court decision preventing an Essex hotel from being used to house asylum seekers without planning permission.
Writing on Facebook, mayor Wootton said the ruling in favour of Conservative-led Epping Forest District Council was “a victory for common sense and local democratic control.”
He confirmed Bedford Borough Council officers have been asked to examine the judgement to see if it could help the town challenge similar hotel use locally.
The case centred on the Bell Hotel in Epping, where a judge ruled that converting it into long-term asylum accommodation amounted to an unlawful change of use.
Councils across the country are now considering whether the ruling sets a precedent for further challenges.
Mayor Wootton added: “Because much of this is legal and will soon be in the hands of lawyers I hope that it is of no surprise that I am being brief with this comment.
“When I am able to share more information I will.”