Cabinet minister leads opposition to migrant hotel in Creaton

Chris Heaton-Harris said was in contact with the Home Office about the use of the hotel

A cabinet minister is leading the opposition to a hotel in his constituency being used as a future site for migrants.

Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said Highgate House in Creaton, Northamptonshire, was "totally unsuitable".

He said he would now collate "local views on the situation to submit to the Home Office for consideration".

The Home Office said it would not comment on individual cases.

In a statement on his website, Mr Heaton-Harris said the hotel should not be used because of "the rural location, impact on medical services, the lack of transport links [and] lack of local facilities".

The Conservative MP for Daventry said he was also given a "list of issues" by the local authority for the village, West Northamptonshire Council.

According to a recent listing Highgate House dates from the 17th Century and has 84 rooms

Mr Heaton-Harris said the hotel would be used for migrants later this year but the Home Office had told him it would "be undertaking a further consultation before moving asylum seekers onto the site".

The minister said he would "continue to make the point to the Home Office that this is a dreadful choice of location for all concerned".

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The village of Creaton is located about eight miles (13km) north of Northampton and has a population of about 550.

A public meeting was held on the potential use of the hotel, which is on the edge of the village, on Tuesday.

Following the meeting, Mr Heaton-Harris said residents could "submit their own concerns" which he will pass across to the Home Office and the Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick.

A Home Office spokesperson would not confirm it was using the site but said in a statement: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

"The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable, there are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6m a day.

"We engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are safe for hotel residents and local people."