No plans for asylum seeker hotels in High Peak

High Peak residents can be reassured that there are no plans to house asylum seekers in local hotels, despite new figures showing more than 560 people are being accommodated elsewhere in Derbyshire.

Figures released by the Home Office on Thursday, August 21, show that as of June, 565 asylum seekers were being accommodated in hotels across Derbyshire and Derby city. These placements are concentrated in Derby (329), Chesterfield (75) and Erewash (161). None are located in the High Peak. 

The news follows a recent High Court case in Essex where a council secured an interim injunction to stop a hotel being used for asylum seekers, sparking speculation nationally about whether other local hotels might be used. While district and borough councils can take action if a building is used without the correct permissions, the decision to allocate hotels rests entirely with the Home Office. 

Derbyshire County Council has no role in housing matters, and no district or borough council in the county is currently pursuing legal action to challenge hotel use. 

Cllr Adie Hopkinson, Conservative councillor for Old Glossop, said he had been asked repeatedly by residents if the local Travelodge was going to be used. “People are understandably worried when they see national headlines. However, I’ve spoken with the Glossop Travelodge and they have assured me they are not housing asylum seekers.” he said. 

“Residents can be confident that from the information I have been given there are no such plans for our area. It was myself, working with former MP Robert Largan who prevented Derby University housing asylum seekers in the Buxton Student Halls. If that had gone ahead, High Peak would have had one of the highest numbers per head of population in the country.” 

Across the UK, thousands of people are currently seeking asylum, with applications rising in recent years due to global conflicts and instability. Normally, asylum seekers would be housed in longer-term accommodation, but demand has outstripped supply. This has led the Home Office to use hotels as a temporary measure while applications are processed. At the end of 2023, more than 40,000 asylum seekers were living in hotels, at a reported national cost of around £6 million a day. 

The use of hotels has sparked protests and public debate across the UK. In recent weeks, demonstrations have taken place in more than 30 towns and cities, including Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and London. Some protests have seen clashes between demonstrators and police, as well as counter-protesters from groups such as ‘Stand 

Up to Racism’, leading to arrests and occasional road disruptions. These events have largely been triggered by High Court rulings like the one in Essex, and have intensified discussion about whether councils should have more say over the use of hotels for asylum seekers. 

Councils and communities have also raised concerns about the suitability of housing large numbers of people in hotels, the impact on local services, and the effect on tourism. 

For now, the official position is clear: no asylum seekers are being housed in hotels in the High Peak, and no local venues have been earmarked for this purpose. Any future change would need to go through the proper planning process, with councils able to enforce rules around how buildings are used.