Asylum seekers have begun arriving at a new accommodation center in Cottingham.
The move was confirmed today by Haltemprice and Howden MP Davis Davis just a week after he asked for a delay and a reconsideration by the Home Office over proposals to house up to 200 single men in Thwaite Hall. Speaking at the time, he said: “Every part of the country must do its part and take its fair share of refugees, but the idea that 200 single adult men fit well into the Cottingham area is laughable. A mix of families would be laughing. much more appropriate. “
In a Twitter post, the MP said: “Thwaite Hall has now started accepting migrants. Honestly, a mix of families on the spot would have been preferable, but the task now is to make it work. Not only for asylum seekers but also for society as a whole. “
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The first asylum seekers were to arrive at the former university premises in Thwaite Street on Tuesday last week. The day before, Mr Davis secured a break in the process following a meeting with Home Secretary Kevin Foster. Hull North MP Diana Johnson and East Riding Council House Cabinet member Claire Holmes were also present.
Along with Mr Davis, both Cllr Holmes and East Riding Council leader Jonathan Owen had also written to the Home Office expressing concern. Immediately after the meeting, Mr Davis said: “The Home Office’s management of this has been incredibly poor. There has been no consultation with the local community on these proposals and communication has been completely inadequate. Cottingham residents deserve better.”
(Image: Hull Live)
He said both the Home Office and the housing provider Mears Group needed to conduct “proper consultation to inform about the suitability of these proposals.” It is unclear what has been done since then in the form of additional consultation.
The Home Office’s decision to award an initial 12-month contract to Mears to administer was first revealed in a leaked East Riding Council email in mid-April. It said the site was expected to open within fourteen days.
It stated: “Thwaite Hall Square is likely to be for newcomers to the country who are awaiting confirmation of their asylum application before moving to other residences. The building can accommodate up to 200 people and the council has been informed that the group , who will be accommodated will be single men.There will be no families on site.
“The site will be managed by a Mears Group welfare manager who will coordinate activities and support. There will be 24 hour security on site plus CCTV cameras covering the exterior of the building.
“There have been partnership meetings with the Mears Group and the Home Office, which have included police, public health and Migration Yorkshire. The fire brigade, the Red Cross and various voluntary organizations have been contacted.”
The building was last in use in 2018 before it was sold by the University of Hull as a development opportunity. It is now privately owned by a development company called Thwaite Hall Ltd. Plans submitted to transform the buildings on the site into a mix of apartments and townhouses along with newly built properties have not yet been approved.
Since the end of 2019, the Mears group has managed a similar asylum seeker accommodation hub for single men at the Royal Hotel in the center of Hull. It also operates two other centers in the city, which cater to women and children.
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