Legal Dispute Brews Over Asylum Accommodation: Hotel in Question

In an escalating controversy over asylum accommodation, the West Oxfordshire Conservatives are calling on the Lib Dem-led West Oxfordshire District Council to review its use of the Witney Four Pillars Hotel for housing asylum seekers. The call for a reassessment comes in the wake of a High Court injunction against a similar arrangement in Epping. The Conservatives emphasize that the hotel has not obtained planning permission required for such a change of use, referencing a critical legal precedent established by the High Court in Epping Forest District Council v Secretary of State for the Home Department. This ruling highlighted that housing asylum seekers in a hotel represents a material change of use, necessitating proper authorization under planning law.

The Conservative group is urging the council’s chief executive, Giles Hughes, to clarify the planning status of the Witney hotel and consider seeking injunctive relief to prevent its use as asylum accommodation without legal backing. They argue that inaction could lead to perceptions of the council as ignoring both legal requirements and community concerns. Deputy group leader Liam Walker pointed out that the situation regarding asylum seekers is an increasing crisis, as new statistics reveal a rise to 32,059 asylum seekers in UK hotels by the end of June, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. This call to action underscores the urgency for local authorities to address the implications of housing refugees as tensions rise in their communities.