Following yesterday’s news that the former Palms Hotel on the A127 in Emerson Park is to be used by the Home Office to accommodate asylum seekers, local councillors representing our colleagues in the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Association, are to write to both the Chief Executive of Havering Council and the Council’s Head of Planning.

The Chief Executive will be asked for further details of what is known about the proposals, as very few details have been released at the moment.

The Head of Planning will be questioned on whether there has been a planning application for a ‘Change of Use’ of the hotel, as it has been suggested that for the new use to be legal, it may have to be approved in advance by the Local Planning Authority (Havering Council).

We will keep residents updated on any further news when we have it.