Britain’s Court of Appeal on Friday overturned a High Court order that would have forced asylum-seekers to leave a hotel northeast of London, a site that has drawn weeks of protests and national political debate.

A three-judge panel ruled in favor of the Labour government and hotel owner Somani Hotels, allowing 138 asylum-seekers to remain at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. The High Court had earlier ordered their eviction by Sept. 12, citing local planning laws.

Justice David Bean said the lower court “made a number of errors,” warning that closing one site would only shift the burden elsewhere and that considering protests as grounds for closure risked encouraging “lawlessness.”

The case has fueled controversy as councils elsewhere consider similar legal action. Opponents say the government is prioritizing asylum-seekers over local residents, a charge Labour denies. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said, “Local communities should not pay the price for Labour’s total failure on illegal immigration.”

Protests—both peaceful and violent—have been staged outside the hotel in recent weeks. Tensions escalated after a resident was charged with sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock warned that closing hotels could leave migrants homeless but said alternative housing options are being sought.

As of June, more than 32,000 asylum-seekers were housed in hotels across Britain, according to the Home Office, down from a peak of 56,000 in September 2023.