The owners of Clacton's premier hotel have been refused permission to use it as a hostel for asylum seekers.

The Royal Hotel in Marine Parade East has been used to house refugees for more than a year - but has only just put in for planning permission from Tendring Council.

The council has already taken enforcement against the use and an appeal over that is due to be heard in September.

Planning officer Peter Le Grys said that the latest refusal would now also be added to the issues dealt with at the inquiry. Councillors at a planning meeting maintained their objection to the scheme on policy grounds.

Pierre Oxley (Con, Southcliff) said it was Clacton's premier hotel and should be kept for the holiday trade.

He said that the council had always insisted that The Estuarys - which owns the hotel - needed planning permission to use it as a hostel as it was a change of use.

"I find it rather amusing that it has taken so long for an application to come before this committee," he said.

"They are quite aware that they have been on dodgy ground."

The application before the council was for a mixed use as a hotel and hostel for a temporary period of two years. But Mr Oxley described that as a "joke".

"I have rung the hotel on a number of occasions trying to book a room and been refused," he said.

"The owners have absolutely no intention of taking in people wanting to stay there and it is not open to holidaymakers."

Mr Le Grys said the council had asked for clarification from the owners about the application but had not received any.

He said it was policy to safeguard hotel accommodation in the town.

Nine letters - including one from the Clacton Hotel Association and Clacton Chamber of Trade - and a petition with 98 signatures had been sent in opposing the plan.

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