The Home Office has abandoned a controversial proposal to purchase eight flats for asylum seekers in Buckhurst Hill, Epping.
The decision follows fierce resistance from local residents and Epping Forest District Council, who labeled the plan tone deaf in light of recent community tensions.
The area has been a flashpoint for national protests following a high-profile sexual assault of a minor by a migrant earlier this year. Council leader Chris Whitbread expressed disbelief that the Home Office would consider expanding accommodation in a district already hosting two asylum hotels, including the contentious Bell Hotel.
“This is excellent news, and residents can breathe a sigh of relief,”
Whitbread stated, noting that the withdrawal suggests the Home Office and its contractor, Clearsprings, finally seen sense.The council continues to lobby for the total closure of existing hotel sites, citing a significant strain on public safety and community cohesion.
While this specific plan has been shelved, the government remains under pressure to meet its 2029 target for ending hotel use.
Alternative proposals to house migrants in military barracks in East Sussex and Inverness are already facing similar public backlash and potential legal challenges.
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