A former hotel being used to house asylum seekers has been allowed to remain a hostel for another three years.
The former Grove House Hotel in Wallasey on the Wirral is applying for retrospective planning permission for a change of use from a hotel to a hostel. It has been housing asylum seekers since October 2021 but was asked to make the application by Wirral Council. The Home Office had advised this was not necessary.
Despite concerns about the suitability of the hotel to house asylum seekers, councillors gave planning permission for the change of use arguing it might not stand up at appeal. The vote was eight three with the committee's three Conservative councillors voting against approval.
