Asylum seekers to remain at Epping hotel after court of appeal revokes ban

The judges said if protests enhanced the case for a planning injunction, that risked acting as an incentive for further protests at asylum accommodation. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

More than 130 people seeking asylum will be allowed to remain in the Bell hotel in Epping after the court of appeal overturned a high court ban on housing them there, leaving police braced for further angry protests.

While the decision was a technical victory for the Home Office, as other local councils could have brought legal challenges against the use of hotels, it has already been seized on by Labour’s political opponents.