The appeal is allowed
Epping Forest District Council’s statement on today’s Court of Appeal judgment.
We are deeply disappointed by the outcome of today’s hearing. While Epping Forest has brought the wider asylum seeker debate into sharp national focus, the concern and motivation of Epping Forest District Council throughout has been the wellbeing of our local residents. Where we had clarity and resolution, we now have doubt and confusion.
However, this is not the end of the matter. While the Court of Appeal has lifted the temporary injunction, the case for the final injunction is still to be heard. Our battle on behalf of our residents will continue. A few weeks from now we will be back in court where we trust the strength of our case will still prevail.
Epping Forest has already given the Home Office much cause for reflection. We understand Government faces a dilemma but that should not be at the expense of local communities. Planning law may seem dull. It might seem boring. But it goes to the heart of the relationship between local communities and good government. It enshrines the rights of local people to have a say within their own communities and it should not be set aside lightly.
The Government can still listen. It needs to understand and take responsibility for the events that have taken place in Epping over the past 6 weeks. For the trauma and disruption brought upon our community. The battle is not over, and we will continue the fight – it is nothing less than the people of Epping would expect and deserve.
Update
We do not accept the criticisms of the council which has acted only in the interests of the people of Epping Forest. We are reviewing our position – we are ruling nothing out until we have examined all the options up to and including the Supreme Court.
Epping Forest District Council has responded to criticism related to earlier use of the Bell Hotel despite this not being relevant to the current legal action.
The circumstances of the placement in 2023 were very different to those in 2025. In reality the complexity of some planning applications mean that they take much longer than the statutory 8 weeks to determine. In any case it would not have affected the outcome of the application. At any time after the 8 week period, the hotel operator could have appealed against non determination.
In the event, the Home Office ceased the use of the Bell as asylum seeker accommodation and it became an academic point. To have continued once the use had ceased would seem to have been a waste of tax payers money, especially as we had no reason to believe the Bell would be stood up again.
Watch the court hearing
- Watch Epping Forest District Council v Somani Hotels Ltd (morning session)
- Watch Epping Forest District Council v Somani Hotels Ltd (afternoon session)
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