Elgin hotel housing asylum seekers ordered to submit retrospective planning application for use

A Elgin hotel housing asylum seekers needs to apply for retrospective  planning permission, it has emerged.

The Eight Acres Hotel on Morriston Road is currently being used by the Home Office. It provides accommodation for people awaiting the outcome of asylum applications.

In May, agents Montagu Evans on behalf of the hotel owners applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness. This is to confirm the use was lawful and required no planning permission.

Three months on, Moray Council have refused their application.

Instead, planning chiefs have ruled retrospective planning permission is required for the change of the use.

A Moray Council spokeswoman said: “The council received an application with regard to the hosting of Asylum Seekers at the Eight Acres Hotel.

“The council has considered the application and has determined that the use does need planning permission.

“The operators of the accommodation now need to regulate the use retrospectively through the planning system.”

‘Solely a procedural matter about need for planning permission’

She added: “The rejection of the Certificate of Lawfulness application by Moray Council is solely a procedural matter about need for planning permission.

“This process does not assess the planning merits of whether or not such use is acceptable, and this would be considered under any future planning application if submitted.”

Right to appeal the decision

The hotel could appeal the officials’ decision.

The council spokeswoman added: “The applicant now has a right to appeal the decision on the certificate of lawful use, or they could apply for planning permission in the usual way for a change of use from the current designation as a hotel.”

Asylum seekers accommodation

The asylum seekers are allocated their own rooms at the hotel and given their meals.

They receive £9.10 a week from the UK Government.

As they are not allowed to work while their claims are being processed, opportunities are being given to take part in activities and appropriate volunteering roles.

In April, festival-goers were left scrabbling for accommodation after their reservations at the Eight Acres Hotel were cancelled just days before the MacMoray Festival.

The hotel blamed reasons “outside of our control” after closing down to the public as part of the contract to house asylum seekers.

Eight Acres Hotel was approached for comment.