Breach of rules, but no action on asylum hotels

CITY COUNCIL SAYS ENFORCEMENT IS 'NOT APPROPRIATE'

- By ZENA HAWLEY

HOTELS housing asylum seekers in Derby are in breach of planning regulations but the city council is unlikely to do anything about it, according to a new report.

Home Office data shows that Derby is accommodating 329 asylum seekers in the Midland Hotel and the Station Hotel, both in Midland Road near the railway station.

Last September, Councillor Steve Hassall, the leader of the opposition Conservative group on Derby City Council, called for the authority to assess the hotels for potential planning breaches and to take action where necessary, while also keeping a log of relevant incidents.

After a tense debate, the council voted to take proactive steps to assess the city's two asylum seeker hotels for potential planning breaches.

It was agreed that a report would be produced at the January full council meeting.

That report, set to be discussed during a meeting on January 14, concludes: “Our assessment and review have led officers to conclude that the character of the use of both of the hotels amounts in our opinion to a material change of use to use as hotels.”

It added: “Enforcement action is not considered appropriate given the level of harm, cost to the public purse, wider societal impact and recent case law in the Epping case.”

The report highlights eight factors taken into account based on previous court cases. They include:

■Twin sharing of rooms by strangers, which is uncommon in hotels.

■Residents having a permanent stay, unlike typical hotel guests.