Eleanor Storey

Local Democracy Reporting Service

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The Park Hotel in Diss was housing 46 children and 34 adults, mostly women, the council previously said

Single male asylum seekers will be housed in a Norfolk hotel despite strong local opposition, says the Home Office.

The controversial plans sought to move them in to the Park Hotel in Diss to replace asylum-seeking families who have been living there for the last two years.

The announcement sparked street protests last month, with South Norfolk Council opposing the plan and the hotel’s owner saying it would close rather than accept the men.

The Home Office wrote to South Norfolk Council this week to confirm it “intends to proceed” with the plans.

But the council maintains it “will not accept” the proposed change of use and would use planning enforcement powers in an attempt to shut it down.

The hotel, in Denmark Street, has been used for asylum-seeking families, including women and children, since 2023.

The Home Office said they would be removed and replaced with the men, starting from last month, but the Local Democracy Reporting Service said single men had not yet arrived at the hotel and that the families remained there.

About 150 people joined a demonstration opposite the hotel on 21 July after the Home Office revealed its plans to place single adult males there

Daniel Elmer, Conservative leader of the council, told BBC Look East: “I’m incredibly disappointed. I think this a completely unnecessary decision.

“The hotel is already being used to house asylum seekers. This isn’t going to create any extra capacity for the government.

“All it is going to do is upset a settled community; upset a community of asylum seekers that are already integrating very well into the local area, for no reason at all.”

Last month there were demonstrations outside the hotel.

Elmer said he thought there would be more protests, but urged people to keep them “peaceful”.

The council said if the use of the hotel was changed, it would require planning permission, and that if the Home Office proceeded in spite of that, it would serve a temporary stop notice on the site, a breach of which would be a criminal offence.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is reducing expensive hotel use as part of a complete overhaul of the asylum system.

“From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost £9m a day, there are now less than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.

“We will continue to work closely with community partners across the country, and discuss any concerns they have, as we look to fix this broken system together.

“The security of the local communities within which hotels are located will always be our paramount concern.”

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said: “Norfolk Police will continue to monitor the situation and provide a proportionate response, if needed, while respecting the right to peaceful protest and ensuring the safety of the local community.”

There have been heightened tensions across the region with protests also taking place at another hotel in Norwich area, and in Watton.

Cameron Ventures Group, which owns the Park Hotel, declined to comment.