MP urges rethink on use of luxury hotel for Afghans
A DERBYSHIRE MP has urged the Home Office to reconsider a decision to use a stately hotel as accommodation for Afghan refugees after concerns from residents.
Maggie Throup, Conservative MP for Erewash, said she had also written to the owners of Risley Hall Hotel, which is situated between Derby and Nottingham, regarding its decision to allow the hotel to be used as accommodation for Afghan refugees.
The hotel had been selected by the Home Office as approved accommodation for some of the thousands of Afghan refugees that have been evacuated from the country after its fall to the Taliban.
A letter to constituents, seen by the Derby Telegraph, was sent on Tuesday after several residents raised concerns about the hotel’s use as an accommodation centre.
In it, Mrs Throup wrote: “I appreciate and share many of your concerns about the hotel’s current use as a Home Office approved accommodation centre, especially given the historical significance of the building and close proximity to Treetops Hospice, Woodhall Park Nursing Home, Risley Hall Park Retirement Village and Risley Lower Grammar Church of England (VC) Primary School.
“In addition, I was extremely disappointed to note that local stakeholders, including neighbouring residents living close to the hotel, were not consulted prior to a final decision being taken.”
Risley Hall Hotel is built on an 11th century Saxon country house, boasting 10 acres gardens and grounds. The Manor House has 16 bedrooms, and a separate wing with a further 19 suites.
The MP continued: “I have, however, written to the directors of Talash Hotels Ltd [owners of Risley Hall Hotel] to request they reconsider using the hotel in this way and to urge them to do everything in their power to address the concerns of local residents.”
The MP, who was first elected in 2015, has recently been promoted to become the new minister for vaccine deployment, replacing Nadhim Zahawi’s move across cabinet, following prime minister Boris Johnson’s recent cabinet reshuffle.
With a previous background as a scientist, she has also served as a government whip, who enforces party discipline.
Mrs Throup said: “In recent weeks I have been contacted by a large number of local residents, voicing their concerns about the use of the Risley Hall Hotel as a Home Office accredited accommodate centre for asylum seekers. “These concerns are wideranging in nature, and include fears about safety and security, as well as reservations about the hotel’s close proximity to Treetops Hospice, Woodhall Park Nursing Home, Risley Hall Park Retirement Village and Risley Lower Grammar Church of England (VC) Primary School.
“In addition, residents have also expressed their disappointment about the lack of public consultation, prior to this decision being taken.
“To this end, I made representations to the appropriate authorities, including the Home Secretary and Derbyshire Police, and the status of the hotel as an accommodation centre is now under review. Given the significant amount of public interest in this issue, I also took the decision to write to all resident living in Risley and the immediate surrounding area, in order to clarify the situation and provide some reassurance to the community.
“The actions I have taken are simply about representing the views of my constituents as their local member of Parliament.”
I appreciate and share many of your concerns about the hotel’s use as a Home Officeapproved centre. Letter