The Home Office has submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to change the use of Mary Morris House, a student hall of residence in the Headingley suburb, to asylum seeker accommodation — a move that has split local residents and raised concerns about possible protests.
Leeds City Council confirmed it received a certificate of proposed lawful development application from the Home Office relating to the building on Shire Oak Road. The council said officers are considering the submission and that a decision is expected in October; it has until Oct. 9 to review the paperwork. The building is currently occupied by fee‑paying students and is expected to continue operating as student accommodation while the application is under consideration.
The Home Office told the council the submission forms part of central government efforts to reduce reliance on hotels to house people seeking asylum and to cut the cost of asylum accommodation. A Home Office spokesperson said the department was "continuing to work closely with stakeholders across the country, including other government departments and local authorities, to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitments to reduce the cost of asylum accommodation, and end the use of asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament." The authority said it would engage further with the local community about the proposals.
Residents and students in the leafy suburb, where the average house price is about £286,000 according to Zoopla — around £25,000 above the citywide average — voiced a range of reactions. Some welcomed the potential for new arrivals to blend into an area long shaped by a high student population; others criticised the lack of publicly available information and said the change would disrupt the neighbourhood and displace students.
"There will be a lot of people in this street who will not be happy about this," said Michelle Armstrong, 49, who lives opposite Mary Morris House and volunteers for charities supporting people who are homeless. "My main concern is noise and mess. It is terrible that we cannot look after our own when the Government are paying the bills and the wrong people are coming in."
A number of neighbours expressed fears that the accommodation could become a focal point for demonstrations. "We don't want to see people down here protesting against people who are living here, which would include the migrants," said Anna, 61, who asked that only her first name be used for professional reasons. Her partner, Peter, 78, added that "terrible lies have been published about asylum seekers and the situation is becoming quite dangerous."
Students due to move into the hall said the announcement came as a surprise. Mary Morris House is preparing to welcome hundreds of residents next weekend for the start of term; only a handful of students currently occupy rooms. "Everyone is coming this weekend so this has come as a total shock," a mathematics student who asked not to be named said. "I just hope we will be allowed to stay here for the terms of our contracts and not be booted out."
Essential Student Living, which manages Mary Morris House, said the property is "only permitted to house students attending university" and that all current and incoming residents are students. The company said it was aware of a planning application made by the building's owner and that the submission "reflects the potential future of the building and is not reflective of its current operations as student‑only accommodation." A spokesperson added that the company was committed to students' safety and to keeping them informed.
Property records show Mary Morris House is owned by developers Edmund Costello, Per Forsberg and Anthony Koczan, who bought it through a property firm for about £13 million in 2017. The application submitted to the council seeks a certificate of proposed lawful development, which, if granted, confirms a proposed use is compliant with law and may not require full planning permission.
Local officials said they had informed residents' groups of the potential change and would continue community engagement. A council spokesperson said: "Leeds is a welcoming city which has been built on the values of tolerance, unity and respect for one another and we remain committed to upholding those values. We hope the announcement of these details today will reassure local residents that we will be engaging fully with them with regard to the Home Office's proposals for Mary Morris House."
The proposed use comes amid a national government drive to move people seeking asylum out of hotels and into other forms of accommodation to reduce costs. The Home Office has pursued contracts and arrangements around the country for temporary housing and conversion of existing properties as it seeks to end the use of asylum hotels by the end of the current parliamentary term.
Nearby businesses include a three‑star hotel and a children's nursery, both of which were approached for comment. The council and the Home Office will continue to consider representations as the October decision window approaches, while students and residents make plans for the start of term and ongoing occupancy of the property.