Overview

• A planning bid submitted last month seeks to convert Mary Morris House, a 247-bed student block in Headingley, into hostel-style accommodation.
• Planning documents did not state asylum use, and Leeds City Council later clarified the Home Office had advised that the proposal supports efforts to reduce hotel reliance.
• The Home Office said accommodation decisions are taken with local authorities to create a more sustainable and cost‑effective asylum system.
• Local residents voiced safety and consultation concerns over the location near student areas and criticized the process.
• Reports say the planning route does not allow formal public objections, and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned the proposal as a waste of taxpayers’ money.