A High Court judge has dismissed Epping Forest District Council's attempt to stop asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Essex. Mr Justice Mould ruled on Tuesday it was «not a case in which it is just and convenient for this court to grant an injunction» against hotel owner Somani Hotels.
The council had sought a permanent injunction, claiming the accommodation of asylum seekers breached planning rules. Lawyers for Epping Forest District Council argued it constituted a «material change of use» and pointed to «increasingly regular protests» as consequences of housing asylum seekers at the hotel.
Government Intervention
The Home Office intervened in the case, calling the council's legal bid «misconceived». The government department responsible for immigration matters actively opposed the council's attempt to block asylum seeker accommodation through planning enforcement.
The decision follows a turbulent legal history. Earlier this year, the council secured a temporary injunction affecting 138 asylum seekers with a deadline beyond September 12. However, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in August, finding it «seriously flawed in principle». The council then pursued a permanent injunction in a three-day hearing last month.
Contested Background
The Bell Hotel became a flashpoint during the summer after protests erupted over its use for asylum seeker accommodation. The controversy intensified when an Ethiopian national housed there, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Epping in July. He was subsequently jailed for 12 months in September.
The High Court's ruling means asylum seekers can continue to be housed at the Bell Hotel, blocking the council's attempt to enforce planning rules against the accommodation.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
