The plan had faced strong objections from the local community.
The Home Office has withdrawn plans to buy flats to house asylum seekers in Essex, the local council has said. Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread said residents could “breathe a sigh of relief” after claiming plans for migrant accommodation in Buckhurst Hill were withdrawn.
The authority said the Government and its contractor, Clearsprings, no longer intended to buy eight flats in the area. The plan had faced strong objections from the local community, with the Conservative council leader having previously written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, accusing him of being “tone deaf” to residents’ concerns.
Following the decision to withdraw the plans, Mr Whitbread said: “I wrote with a sense of disbelief when Clearsprings notified us of their intention to procure eight flats in Buckhurst Hill to accommodate asylum seekers. We’re already hosting two Home Office asylum-seeker hotels in the district.
“The impact of events over the last six months has been deeply felt across our district and has created significant challenges for community cohesion and public safety.
“Residents have experienced fear and uncertainty, and the strain on local resources has been considerable. This withdrawal shows that Clearsprings and the Home Office have listened to us, seen sense, and taken the right decision.
“We hope they show similar good sense with regards to the Bell Hotel and move to an early closure.”
The Bell Hotel in Epping houses asylum seekers (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
In the summer, thousands of people protested in Epping after Hadush Kebatu, a migrant living at the Bell Hotel, was charged with – and later found guilty of – sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman.
Kebatu, who denied the charges against him, was sentenced to 12 months in custody and was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order.
In October, he was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford, sparking a manhunt that lasted two days. Later that same month, he was deported to Ethiopia.
The housing of migrants at the Bell Hotel continues to be seen negatively by some in Epping. Earlier this month, the local council lost its Supreme Court bid to challenge a decision to allow the Home office to intervene in its unsuccessful attempt to temporarily block asylum seekers staying at the hotel.
Clearsprings and the Home Office have been contacted for comment.
