Epping Forest District Council has instructed lawyers to apply to the UK Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal overturned a temporary injunction aimed at stopping the Home Office from housing asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex.
The council, which is led by Conservative Chris Whitbread, said on Thursday that its legal team had been instructed to proceed with a Supreme Court application following "careful consideration" of its most recent court defeat. The move comes after the council secured a temporary injunction in August to prevent the hotel being used to accommodate migrants; that injunction was later overturned at the Court of Appeal, which ruled the legal challenge could go no further.
Tensions have been high over the housing of 138 asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel. The council's August injunction had been intended as a temporary measure to block the transfer of migrants into the property and to require a fuller legal examination of the Home Office's plans. The Court of Appeal's decision effectively removed that temporary legal barrier, prompting the council to seek further consideration by the country's highest court.
Epping Forest District Council said it wanted a swift resolution, telling reporters that "it is in no one's interest to delay the legal process. The sooner we get to a full resolution, the better." The council's action reflects a broader dispute involving the Home Office and Somani Hotels, the company that owns The Bell Hotel.
The Home Office has been using hotels across the country to accommodate people awaiting asylum decisions, a practice that has prompted complaints from councils and local residents in several areas. Epping Forest District Council's challenge focused on the legality and local impact of the accommodation arrangements at the hotel.
The next step for the council is to seek permission for the Supreme Court to hear the case. If permission is granted, the Supreme Court would decide whether it will hear the appeal in full. A Supreme Court hearing would address legal questions arising from the earlier rulings, but could take months to arrange and conclude.
Court documents and public statements have not been updated with a timetable for any Supreme Court application or hearing. The Home Office and Somani Hotels did not immediately issue detailed public responses to the council's announcement on Thursday.
The dispute adds to ongoing national debates over the use of hotels for asylum accommodation and the responsibilities of central and local government in managing migrant arrivals and temporary housing. Local officials in Epping have said they are acting in response to concerns about local services and community impact, while the Home Office has cited capacity needs in its approach to dispersal and accommodation policy.