Council outlines new legal action on Epping hotel

Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, is taking on the Home Office in court

A council trying to block a hotel from housing asylum seekers has confirmed its plan to appeal directly to the Supreme Court.

Migrants were due to be moved out of The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, after Epping Forest District Council secured a temporary injunction in August.

This was later overturned at the Court of Appeal, which went on to rule the legal challenge could go no further.

But the Conservative-run council said on Thursday its legal team had been instructed to proceed with an application to the Supreme Court.

A spokesman said it followed "careful consideration" of its most recent court defeat.

"It is in no one's interest to delay the legal process," they added. "The sooner we get to a full resolution, the better."

Tensions have been high over the housing of 138 asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel

It marked the latest development in the council's battle with the Home Office and Somani Hotels, which owns The Bell Hotel.

The injunction made in August was to be imposed temporarily, only enforced if imposed after a three-day High Court hearing from 15 October.

Despite the decision being overruled, the local authority doubled down on its ambition to remove asylum seekers before the court date.

It had argued that Somani Hotels breached planning rules by not revealing its plans for The Bell.

However, the Court of Appeal heard this could inspire other councils to make similar claims and overwhelm the asylum system by closing down hotels in their areas.

Chris Whitbread, the leader of the Epping council, went on to say overturning the injunction was "wrong".

Thousands of people have attended anti-immigration protests and counter-demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel since July.

It followed an asylum seeker housed there being arrested and charged with several offences, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.

Hadush Kebatu, who is from Ethiopia, was found guilty of five offences on Thursday.