EPPING Forest District Council said it will reflect on next steps after the High Court refused its application for a final injunction to stop the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping for asylum seeker accommodation.

The Honourable Mr Justice Mould did not support the Council’s application for a final injunction.

District Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Communities, Councillor Ken Williamson said:

“This is a devasting decision for local democracy. We won the moral and ethical arguments, but we were outgunned by bigger and more powerful interests.

“In the interests of political expediency, the Home Secretary can now ignore planning law, the concerns of local councils and their residents.

“From the very beginning, our only motive has been to protect and defend the interests of our residents. We knew the Home Office would not like it, but it was important to stand up for our residents. Local people must have some control over local decisions.

“But what we saw in court was an unholy alliance of lawyers for government and big business intent on protecting huge profits and an indefensible asylum policy.

“When they should have focused on the democratic planning system, and our right and proper use of it to protect our district and residents from harm, they chose to focus on technicalities and how we decided to proceed.

“If they are listening, they would do well to consider the wider implications. Epping Forest District Council has stood up for principles of local democracy. It has implications for everyone. If the government is determined to ride roughshod over local residents and planning laws whenever it is convenient, the outlook is bleak.

“The Home Secretary can still reconsider. The trauma and disruption experienced by Epping residents and especially the victims and their families at the heart of all this is unacceptable. The asylum system is broken. Fix the real problem. Close the hotels now.

“We are bitterly disappointed. We have pushed as hard as we can and punched well above our weight. It is a sad day, but we will take this judgement back to our councillors. Together we will decide what happens next.”