The Home Office has submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council seeking to convert Mary Morris House — a student hall on Shire Oak Road in the Headingley suburb — into accommodation for people seeking asylum, prompting a mixed and at times hostile reaction from local residents.
Leeds City Council confirmed it has received a certificate of proposed lawful development application from the Home Office that, if granted, would allow a change of use without full planning permission. Council officers are considering the submission, which was published on the council’s public access planning system; the authority has until Oct. 9 to review the proposal and a decision is expected in October. The council said Mary Morris House is currently occupied by fee-paying students and that it would engage with the local community on the matter.
The application comes as part of wider central government efforts to reduce reliance on hotels for asylum accommodation. The Home Office said it is working with local authorities and other partners to meet statutory obligations, reduce the cost of asylum accommodation and end the use of asylum hotels by the end of the current Parliament.
Residents in the leafy, historically student-populated neighbourhood expressed a range of concerns. Some said the proposal would displace students and harm the character of the area, while others feared the site could become a focal point for demonstrations.
"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 with homeless charities in Leeds. "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."
Another resident who declined to be named said worries stemmed from a lack of information about the proposed change. "I am not in favour of putting them in hotels or anyone being put into accommodation where they cannot get a job or live a normal life or contribute to society," the resident said.
Some neighbours emphasised Headingley’s existing diversity, noting its large student population. "Headingley is an amazing place for diversity due to the student population, so they would fit in well from that point of view," said Philip Hall, 53, while adding concern over whether any change of use would be temporary or permanent.
Students currently living at Mary Morris House expressed surprise at the announcement, which came as many prepare to return for the new term. "It is a shock," said Dave Bhularayan, 25, a business student. "I am 50-50 about it because it is good to help the migrants but around 200 students usually live here and it is nice." A maths student who declined to be named said many students were due to move in this weekend and hoped their contracts would be honoured.
Essential Student Living, which manages Mary Morris House, said the property is only permitted for students attending university and that it is aware of a planning application made by the building’s owner. "As managing agents only, this is beyond the control of Essential Student Living," the company said, adding it would continue to welcome students and keep them informed throughout the process.
The building is owned by property developers who purchased it in 2017 for about £13 million. The street includes other commercial premises, including a three-star hotel and a children’s nursery.
Leeds City Council said the submission reflects central government efforts to reduce the reliance on hotels for asylum seekers and that the application is being considered by officers. "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," a council spokesperson said. The council added it had informed local residents' groups of the potential change in occupancy and would continue engagement.
The Home Office said it will continue to work with stakeholders across the UK "to manage the use of asylum accommodation responsibly." The submission to the council is for a lawful development certificate rather than a full planning permission, meaning the council’s determination will focus on whether the proposed use complies with existing planning law.
The application and the debate over the future of Mary Morris House occur against a national backdrop of heightened public attention on asylum policy, housing capacity and the Government’s programme to move asylum accommodation out of hotels. Local residents and students await the council’s decision in October, while the building continues to operate as student accommodation during the review.