Title

PLANNING

Council obtains injunction to stop hotel housing asylum seekers

Great Yarmouth BC has obtained an injunction to stop a second hotel from being used as a hostel for asylum seekers.

Great Yarmouth BC has obtained an injunction to stop a second hotel from being used as a hostel for asylum seekers.

In July around 50 asylum seekers were placed in the town's Hotel Victoria as part of a Home Office scheme.

Whitehall officials had planned to use the town's Embassy Hotel as part of the same scheme but the council sought an injunction on the basis that using the hotel as a hostel would be an unauthorised change of use, requiring planning permission.

The court order prevents the use of the Embassy Hotel as a hostel for accommodating asylum seekers until the end of November, when a full hearing will take place.

Council leader Carl Smith said: ‘We will continue to help support the asylum seekers placed in the town and who have no control over where they are housed.

‘We do have a responsibility though to enforce planning laws and make sure local residents and businesses all play by the same rules and are protected from unauthorised and inappropriate use of local properties.'

PLANNING

The King's Speech must squeeze out more progress on climate

By Christopher Hammond | 11 May 2026

After a bruising local election, the King's Speech needs to bring local leaders and communities closer — not push them away, says Christopher Hammond.

PLANNING

Funding the future: Local government finances, reform and resilience

By Michael Burton | 11 May 2026

Against the backdrop of mounting fiscal pressures, more exceptional financial support requests and uncertainty over funding reform, local authority finance c...

PLANNING

Reform pledges to proritise Green councils for immigration detention centres

By Paul Marinko | 05 May 2026

Reform UK has pledged to prioritise areas with Green-controlled councils for illegal immigration detention centres if it wins the next elections.

PLANNING

Boost helps put young people on the path to a career

By Jan Feeney | 05 May 2026

The Boost initiative has helped young people in King’s Lynn and Breckland on the journey to where they want to be in terms of a career path, says Jan Feeney.

Popular articles by William Eichler