A Reform controlled council is launching legal action against three hotels which are being used to house migrants.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is serving Planning Contravention Notices to the owners of three asylum hotels.
The notices are being issued to the owners of the Ibis in Crick, the Holiday Inn in Flore and the MK Hotel in Deanshanger.
All the hotels are being used by the Home Office for asylum accommodation.
Council chiefs believe a breach of planning control may have occurred at the hotels.
Serving the notices is the first formal step in finding out more information before deciding whether enforcement action is required.
Action is already under way by WNC to take legal and planning steps in the light of Epping Forest District Council’s current court case.
Council Leader Mark Arnull said: “By accommodating asylum seekers, we believe these hotels may have a case to answer for breaching planning control, and these notices are the first formal step in allowing us to investigate further.
“The recent Epping Court of Appeal hearing highlighted the importance of ensuring the full planning enforcement process is followed if councils are looking to take action against the use of hotels in their area as asylum accommodation and that’s what we’re doing in West Northants.
“With the Home Office’s use of these hotels in our area placing an unsustainable strain on our local services and with residents continuing to raise concerns, we will look at using whatever powers we have to address these issues.”
The hotel owners have 21 days to respond to the notice and failure to do is an offence under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, according to WNC.
Councillors will debate the current use of the hotels at an extraordinary council meeting on September 16.
Councillor Daniel Lister, who proposed the meeting, said: “Following the judgement of Mr Justice Eyre on 19 August, granting Epping Forest District Council an injunction to prevent the inappropriate use of the Bell Hotel in its district as an asylum seeker centre, this Council resolves to instruct, without delay, suitably qualified legal counsel to represent West Northamptonshire Council in seeking an interim injunction against the owners of the Ibis Hotel, Crick, the Holiday Inn, Flore, and the MK Hotel, Deanshanger, to prevent their use as asylum seeker centres.
“Council further calls upon all members to support this motion.”
