Title

PLANNING

Council threatens action against hotel with asylum seekers

Great Yarmouth BC is taking enforcement action after the Home Office placed asylum seekers in a local hotel.

Great Yarmouth BC is taking enforcement action after the Home Office placed asylum seekers in a local hotel.

The council said that it had ‘serious concerns' about the suitability of the accommodation and claimed the hotel needed permission for the change of use.

Great Yarmouth also said there had been a ‘lack of dialogue' with either the hotel or the Home Office.

A council spokesperson said: ‘We have serious concerns about the suitability of this accommodation for asylum seekers and the hotel should have applied for the correct planning permission before any asylum seekers were housed.

'No application for change of use has been received to date and the council will pursue appropriate enforcement action where necessary.

‘We are therefore opposed to the way this situation has arisen and the lack of dialogue with ourselves and other stakeholders in the town.

'We have clearly communicated our views and concerns to both the hotel owner and the Home Office.

‘We are also concerned about placing further strain on core services in an already highly-populated and prime tourist area.'

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We are dealing with an unprecedented increase in asylum cases but despite this we continue to ensure that the accommodation provided is safe, secure and leaves no one destitute.

'The Home Office does not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels.'

PLANNING

AI: powering the next chapter of UK local government

By Emma Foy | 19 January 2026

One year on from the national AI Action Plan, Emma Foy says those who move early – and move responsibly – will shape the future of local government service d...

PLANNING

Hundreds of children failed by 'dysfunctional' care system

By William Eichler | 16 January 2026

Hundreds of vulnerable children in England are being placed for months in illegal, unregistered homes, according to a report from the Public Accounts Committee.

PLANNING

'Exporting' the housing challenge

By Paul Marinko | 14 January 2026

The growing tendency of councils to use ‘out of area’ placements to discharge their housing responsibilities is increasing tension between local authorities....

PLANNING

The homelessness action plan has not fixed everything, but hope is on the horizon

By Dee O'Connell | 12 January 2026

A greater recognition of the links between housing and health mean that the new homelessness action plan offers reasons for bounded optimism, says Dee O’Conn...

Popular articles by William Eichler