Ipswich Borough Council has been issued with an emergency injunction in relation to a town centre hotel being used for asylum seeker accomodation. 

The High Court issued the injunction to Ipswich Borough Council against Fairview Hotels (Ipswich) Limited and Serco Limited this afternoon to prevent the further use of the Novotel or any other hotel within the borough as a hostel by accommodating asylum seekers.

The injunction does not apply to those who have already moved into the Novotel and lasts until the next hearing, which will take place on Monday, November 7.

This is the latest stage in the council’s efforts to prevent the government from turning the hotel into a hostel for asylum seekers.

The council chiefs said that they always objected to the plans for Novotel and has made its position clear to the Home Office.

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt who has also objected to the move said following the injunction; “I’m pleased this short term temporary injunction has been granted. However it’s only for a short period of time and we need to do our best to make sure it’s permanent. In the mean time I will continue to escalate my efforts to convince the Home Office Ministers to intervene.”

 “I’m very frustrated however that the temporary injunction doesn’t apply to the individuals who have already arrived at the hotel. I understand 70 have already arrived.”

 

The injunction follows the issuing of a temporary stop notice under planning legislation on Tuesday, October 25.

Novotel bosses have been given until Friday to respond to claims that they are breaching planning law by accommodating asylum seekers.

The council accused Novotel of breaching planning law by not applying for a change of use to convert the hotel to a hostel.

Novotel declined to comment.

Council leader, David Ellesmere, said a temporary stop notice had been issued to the hotel owners to “prevent any further contravention” and the council will pursue planning enforcement action as required.

He added: “It's our view that the use of the hotel by the government is effectively a change of use in planning terms, from a hotel to a hostel, and Novotel has not applied for a change of use planning permission.

“What we have done is applied what's called a stop notice.

“The notice has been issued from the planning authority and what it means is that the hotel should stop that use of the building immediately, and they need to apply for planning permission if they want to go ahead.”

The council hopes that the hotel will comply with the notice, immediately stop its operations and apply for planning permission.

Ian Fisher, leader of the Conservative group at the council, has previously called for Ipswich Borough Council to challenge the Home Office's takeover at the High Court.

Cllr Fisher said that two local councils in the country were launching legal challenges against similar government decisions and called for the council to “urgently look into the possibility of Ipswich using the same legislation”.

Ipswich business bosses also said they are “extremely concerned” about the impact on the town’s economy following the takeover.