Council still committed to closing asylum hotel

A council has reaffirmed its commitment to stop a hotel from being used to house asylum seekers.

The Delta Marriott in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, has been accommodating asylum seekers since 2022 and was the scene of protests in August.

Corina Gander, the Conservative leader of Broxbourne Borough Council, said Epping Forest District Council losing a legal battle to stop asylum seekers from being accommodated in a hotel has not deterred her authority from its own fight to do so.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.

"I will continue to press the Home Office and the prime minister for a closure of the hotel as soon as possible," Gander said.

Councillors in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, passed a motion earlier this month which said that "Broxbourne residents must come first".

The council leader said: "Despite the outcome for Epping council in yesterday's ruling, Broxbourne council is still determined to end the use of the Delta Marriott hotel for the accommodation of asylum seekers.

"The recent motion agreed by the council reaffirmed the intention to take further action. Planning contravention notices have been issued ahead of taking planning enforcement action."

She added that the asylum seeker accommodation "was placing significant pressures on the borough" and "residents are suffering the consequences".

Paul Mason, a Conservative councillor at Broxbourne Borough Council, told BBC Three Counties Radio that "nothing changes".

The cabinet member for planning said: "We're going down the planning route, we're going for a planning contravention notice and that process is already in process."

He said the authority would assess its next step after collating information, which would involve using planning powers to close the hotel.

The councillor argued the site was given planning permission to be a hotel and there were not enough alternatives in the area.

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