Afghan refugees will be temporarily homed in a Leeds hotel as part of a government scheme.
It is understood approximately 170 refugees will arrive at the Mercure Hotel in Wetherby from January 9. There will be security at the hotel around the clock to protect the refugees from unwanted visitors.
Refugees will be permitted to come and go freely from the hotel on Leeds Road, in the North Leeds district, and find work where possible. They will leave the hotel once permanent accommodation is found.
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The Afghan Citizenship Resettlement Scheme seeks to prioritise those who assisted UK military efforts in Afghanistan and vulnerable people, members of minority groups, at risk. The Home Office is working with 350 local authorities to find appropriate long-term accommodation - more than 2,000 properties are required.
The government is giving local authorities a package of funding to help families settle into their new lives in the UK. This includes £20,520 per person over three years, up to £4,500 per child to cover education, £850 for adults requiring English language support and £2,600 for healthcare.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK is proud to have already provided homes for nearly 7,400 Afghan evacuees under the Afghan Citizenship Resettlement Scheme.
“While hotels do not provide a long-term solution, they do offer safe, secure and clean accommodation as we continue to work closely with local authorities to bring down the number of people living there.
“We are providing local authorities with a package of funding to help families settle into their new life in the UK, which includes £20,520 per person over a three-year period.”
The Home Office refused to comment on the individual hotel arrangement. It is not known how the temporary housing will affect plans to convert the Mercure Hotel site into a Lidl supermarket and an elderly care home.
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