Statement regarding Epping asylum hotel High Court ruling

20 August 2025

“We have always been clear with the Government and the public that the current use of three hotels in West Northamptonshire have never been suitable locations for asylum accommodation and place an unreasonable and unsustainable strain on our already-stretched local services.

“We also know these hotels cause concerns for our communities and I have raised these issues with the Home Office and written to the Deputy Prime Minister about the wider use of asylum accommodation within our community.

“We are currently considering the implications of this judgment to understand any similarities and differences and are actively looking at the options now available to us. As such I am unable to comment further at this stage but will issue a further update when able to do so. In the meantime, we will continue to work with partners in the police and in our communities to make sure that residents’ concerns are heard and addressed.”

Cllr Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council