Buxton: Bid to use former uni halls as refugee centre pulled

Plans to use old student accommodation to house asylum seekers have been withdrawn.

The University of Derby had applied to change the use of High Peak student halls in Buxton but High Peak Borough Council said this was pulled before a scheduled meeting on Monday.

High Peak Conservative MP Robert Largan was among opponents of the plans.

The university said it would "revise and resubmit an application as soon as possible".

A multi-storey building with 274 rooms and shared dining areas, High Peak halls has been empty since 2019, but planning officers were recommending councillors refuse the bid.

In a statement confirming it had withdrawn its application for a certificate of lawful purpose to allow the halls to accommodate non-students, the university said it was "advised that the application would require additional information".

"While this is extremely disappointing, we still intend to repurpose this building to accommodate non-students," it said.

Council leader Anthony McKeown said he welcomed the decision to pull the application.

"Feelings have been running high in the town and I, like residents, did not want to see this application approved," he said.

"I have been clear that this location is entirely unsuitable for the proposed use and I have written to the Home Office to object to the plans."

Mr Largan said withdrawing the bid hours before the planning committee was due to discuss it was "an extraordinary step", adding he hoped the site could be repurposed "into affordable homes for local people instead".

"I hope that the University of Derby now abandon their plans, which have always been about money and not what is in the best interests of Buxton," he said.

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