Cottingham: Halls of residence asylum-seeker plan unacceptable, MP

The Lawns was built in the 1960s and is Grade II* listed

An MP has urged the University of Hull not to sell a former student halls of residence to the government to house asylum-seekers.

David Davis claimed converting The Lawns in Cottingham would bring "unsustainable and unacceptable pressure" on the area.

He said he had spoken to the university's vice-chancellor and the home secretary to voice his opposition.

The university said no decisions had been made over the site's future.

Mr Davis comments come after Rishi Sunak said his government was in "active discussions" over "a range of alternative sites" for asylum-seeker housing as ministers look to cut spending on hotels.

The proposed new locations included disused holiday parks, former student halls and surplus military sites, the prime minister told the House of Commons on Tuesday.

'Intense local resistance'

Mr Davis, the MP for Haltemprice and Howden, said: "When the proposals became clear last week, I spoke with both the home secretary and the vice-chancellor of Hull University and made plain my total opposition to these proposals and the intense local resistance these plans would face.

"I am clear the university must not proceed with any sale that would result in asylum seekers being housed at The Lawns.

"If this deal were to go ahead it could see over 1,000 migrants housed in the village of Cottingham, ignoring local concerns about healthcare, education and children's services and the impact it could have on Albanian organised crime in Hull."

David Davis claimed using the university's halls as asylum accommodation could have an impact on "Albanian organised crime".

The MP added he was "very pleased" the university's vice-chancellor, Dave Petley, had "taken on board" his concerns and "committed to look into alternative uses for The Lawns".

The university is expected to make a decision on the site's future in February.

The Lawns, a grade II*-listed 40-acre site built in the 1960s, has been empty and up for sale since 2019 when students moved into new purpose-built accommodation.

A spokesperson for the university said "no decisions have been made about the future of the site".

They added: "We are currently working with local stakeholders to seek their support to explore opportunities which would be welcomed by the local community."

The Home Office said it would not comment on individual sites but that it was looking "at all available options to source appropriate and cost-effective temporary accommodation".

The government began housing asylum seekers in Thwaite Hall, another former student halls of residence in Cottingham, earlier this year and the Humber View Hotel, in North Ferriby, has also been used to provide accommodation.