Jim Allister urges councils to act after High Court ruling on asylum hotels

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC has written to councils across Northern Ireland asking if they intend to take action against hotels accommodating asylum seekers in breach of planning permission.

His intervention follows this week’s High Court ruling which found that the Bell Hotel in Epping had unlawfully been used to house asylum seekers without the necessary planning approval.

In his letter to local authorities, Mr Allister wrote:

“In light of this week’s High Court ruling in respect of the Bell Hotel in Epping, can you advise if there are any properties in your district whose planning permission is for hotel use, but which are being used to house migrants?

“If so, will the council, in light of the finding in the Epping case that such use is not compatible with planning permission for hotel use, be taking action to ensure such non-compliant use is terminated?

“I look forward to your early response.”

Landmark High Court ruling

On 19 August, Mr Justice Eyre granted an interim injunction preventing the Bell Hotel in Epping, owned by Somani Hotels Ltd, from being used to accommodate asylum seekers unless planning permission is granted.

The court ruled that converting the hotel into long-term accommodation for asylum seekers amounted to a “material change of use”, incompatible with its existing Class C1 hotel planning classification.

The judgment noted that the Bell Hotel was no longer operating as a traditional hotel, as residents were not paying guests and were subject to restrictions including curfews, daily sign-ins, and security oversight.

The injunction requires the premises to cease housing asylum seekers by 12 September 2025.

Wider implications across the UK

Legal commentators have described the ruling as a landmark precedent, opening the door for other councils to challenge the Home Office’s policy of placing asylum seekers in hotels.

Several local authorities in England, including Tamworth, Wirral, and Broxbourne, are now considering similar legal action.

The decision has sparked a wider political debate about planning law, local authority powers, and the future of the government’s asylum accommodation strategy.

The Home Office has warned the ruling could disrupt resettlement efforts, while opponents of the asylum hotel policy have hailed it as a victory for community concerns and local governance.

Allister presses councils

Mr Allister’s letter suggests he believes councils in Northern Ireland should also pursue legal remedies if hotels in their districts are being used in ways that breach planning permission.

The TUV leader’s intervention is likely to intensify debate around the use of hotels for asylum seekers in Northern Ireland, where the issue has already drawn controversy.