A query over whether planning permission should have been sought to use a hotel in Bracknell to house families from Afghanistan has been cleared up.
There's been some confusion over the use of a Bracknell hotel to house Afghan families, but that has now been cleared up.
The former Grange Hotel in the town centre is currently providing ‘transition accommodation’ for 194 Afghan individuals who have legal status and are awaiting placement in longer-term housing across the UK.
This situation raised questions about whether the government needed planning permission to use the hotel for this purpose.
A spokesperson from Bracknell Forest Council confirmed that the hotel has valid planning permission for its current use, as it falls under Class C1, which includes hotels and guesthouses. They explained, “If a building changes its name or ownership, but not its use, then a new planning permission does not need to be sought.”
They noted that while hotels can have medical professionals visit guests for immediate care, this does not change the building's classification.
This clarification follows comments from councillor Mary Temperton, who stated that the Ministry of Defence is running the facility.
However, Malcolm Tullett from Reform UK has contested this, arguing that the shift from a hotel to a government-funded hostel represents a change of use. He stated, “No amount of rebranding gets around the law.” Tullett insists planning rules are essential to protect local residents.
This debate comes amid legal disputes regarding hotels housing asylum seekers, notably in Epping, Essex, where a recent High Court injunction was overturned.
A final trial concerning the Bell Hotel case is set for next month.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
