Planning permission (20/00775/FUL) was granted for 92 affordable homes at Ketch Field, Broomhall Way:
- 59 for affordable rent
- 33 for shared ownership
These homes are bound by a Section 106 agreement, which legally requires that they remain affordable housing for local people.
That means they can only be:
- Rented at below-market rates to households who qualify for affordable housing, or
- Sold through shared ownership schemes, giving local buyers a chance to get on the property ladder.
⚠️ There is now a proposal for these properties to be used to house asylum seekers under a government scheme. While still “residential,” this would not comply with the Section 106 obligations, as the homes would not be allocated through the approved affordable housing process. In practice, it diverts these homes away from the very people they were intended to serve.
Such a change could be considered a breach of planning permission and may require either:
- A new planning application, or
- A formal variation to the Section 106 agreement.
If we want to protect affordable housing for Worcester residents, Worcester City Council needs to be fully aware of this potential conflict.
It’s shocking to read that in the year ending June 2025, a record 111,084 people claimed asylum in the UK, with the majority of arrivals between April and June coming via small boat crossings. That’s a 14% rise from the previous year.
Yet here we are, in a country where our own citizens with genuine needs for housing – families, pensioners, veterans, and young people – are left waiting months, sometimes even years, just to be placed in suitable accommodation. Local councils are stretched beyond breaking point, and many people spend night after night in temporary or unsuitable housing because the system is so overloaded.
Meanwhile, if you arrive in the UK by small boat, housing is often arranged within 48 hours. Hotels, hostels, and dedicated accommodation are found almost immediately, while our own people are told to “be patient” and sit on endless waiting lists.
This isn’t about turning a blind eye to global crises, but about asking a very fair question: why is the system failing its own citizens so badly, while moving mountains to accommodate new arrivals at record speed?
It feels like priorities are upside down – and those who have paid into the system all their lives are the ones left at the back of the queue.
In response to a Freedom of Information request regarding asylum claims in the UK:
- A total of 111,084 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2025. This represents a 14% increase compared to the year ending June 2024, marking a record high, and surpassing the previous peak of approximately 103,000 in 2002 .
- Irregular routes accounted for half of these asylum claims. Specifically:
- 39% (around 43,600 people) arrived via small boat crossings.
- 11% (about 12,100 people) came through other irregular routes such as lorry, container, or undocumented entry .
This data underscores the scale and shifting dynamics of asylum claims in the UK, where small boat arrivals remain a significant contributor to the overall figures.
We’ve reached out to local council and district for comment with no responses! Thought’s and comments below 👇🏻
Or knock them down