Planning Inspectorate urged to reject plan to house asylum seekers in former Stafford student halls

An appeal by Serco has started today to overturn Stafford Borough Council's decision to refuse permission to use the former student halls at Beaconside as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers.

Stafford MP Theo Clarke has lodged a formal objection to the appeal, saying it would be "wholly inappropriate" to house migrants at the site.

In her objection she wrote: "I am keen that Stafford plays its part in housing asylum seekers, and I know that our communities are ready to welcome them.

"However, the planning committee of Stafford Borough Council back in July last year raised concerns around the sheer volume of people being housed in such a concentrated area, with a shortage of support services locally and the additional pressure that this concentration and massing of people would have on already stretched services, particularly the health service, education, police, and other support services.

"Stafford borough remains against the use of accommodation in this concentrated way and feel that our agreed migration number of 137 for the whole borough could be better accommodated through working with the local council and housing in smaller placements."

Serco, which manages asylum seeker accommodation on behalf of the Home Office, put forward plans to place around 500 male asylum seekers at Stafford Court, Beaconside.

The scheme was rejected by council planners after hundreds of objections, with concerns raised over the potential for rising crime and the increased strain on local services.

Conservative MP Mrs Clarke has previously raised her objections to the scheme with Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick. She also sounded out Rishi Sunak over the scheme in the Commons, asking the PM to personally intervene to ensure it did not go ahead.

Serco said Stafford Court was "the most suitable site for its needs" in relation to the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services (AASC) contract for the region.

Mrs Clarke told the Express & Star: "The borough council was right to refuse permission for asylum seeker accommodation at Beaconside last summer and the circumstances have not changed since then.

"It remains a wholly inappropriate place to house hundreds of asylum seekers. I oppose its use, as do many local residents, and I urge the Planning Inspectorate to refuse Serco’s appeal."