I've recently observed a pressing issue in Crewe, Cheshire, where properties in our community are housing multiple asylum seekers. These individuals are not employed, might not speak English, and cannot be integrated into the community easily due to their status.

Many local residents feel uneasy about these neighbours, and are concerned about the disruption and negative impact this accommodation has on our community’s social fabric. This situation isn’t isolated to Crewe. Across the UK, asylum seekers and refugees are often placed in hotel or HMO accommodation, for which no explicit planning permission has been granted. This can create tensions in local communities who feel they are being denied a voice in the decisions around the types of housing in their area. 

It fails local communities who have no say in how local properties are being used: and it fails the asylum seekers and refugees who face hostility as a result of living in accommodation designed for students or working people. 

We propose the creation of a new planning class for shared residential accommodation in use by asylum seekers and refugees. 

In order to achieve this, we ask the UK government and local councils to introduce a new planning class for refugee and asylum seeker shared accommodation.

This would then allow local communities a voice in how local properties are used and avoid the blanket ban of shared housing in the student and professional sector through Article 4. 

Sign this petition to urge the government to create a new planning class for housing asylum seekers and refugees.