The Court of Appeal has ruled that asylum seekers can remain housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, overturning a previous order that would have forced 138 migrants to leave by September 12.
Lord Justice Bean said the government has a duty of care to prevent asylum seekers from becoming destitute, and allowed the Home Secretary to join the case when it returns to court on October 22.
Epping Council had argued that the hotel’s owners, Somani Hotels, breached planning rules by converting the venue into migrant accommodation. A lower court agreed, but the appeal judges said that ruling failed to take into account the wider national picture and the risk of disorder if migrant housing is suddenly shut down.
Local residents have raised concerns about crime and safety linked to the accommodation, including sexual assault cases, but the judges said those fears are outweighed by the public interest in maintaining housing for asylum seekers.
The case will continue in October.
