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Last year, the University of Derby put forward plans to convert High Peak Halls, the old student halls, into a 288-bed asylum dispersal centre.

Incredibly, the university chose to ignore the objections of Derbyshire Police who said that the location would be “unsuitable” and that “persons with existing vulnerabilities would be put at risk”.

I launched a campaign against the proposals, with over 5,000 local residents taking part in my survey on the University's plans. 89 per cent opposed the plans.

High Peak MP Robert Largan (Photo: Richard Townshend Photography)

Over 1,400 residents also submitted objections to the university’s formal planning application.

After I raised a number of technical challenges, the university withdrew their application just hours before High Peak borough bouncillors were due to vote on the application last summer.

However, the University of Derby responded by promising to press ahead with the plans and bring forward a new application for the asylum centre.

Since last summer, Buxton has been in limbo, not knowing when a fresh application would be submitted. This uncertainty has now been ended.

“”The job is not done. But the economy is turning a corner and we have been able to afford tax cuts as part of the Government’s plan to reward work and grow the economy”, says Robert Largan MP.

Last week, I held a meeting with the Immigration Minister and set out the reasons why Buxton town centre is a completely unsuitable location for a large-scale asylum dispersal centre.

The Conservative Government has now intervened and issued instructions that High Peak Halls must not be used for asylum accommodation.

The Government have gone even further, issuing instructions that no asylum accommodation be procured anywhere in Buxton town centre.

This is a big victory for local people and for common sense.

Thank you to everyone who has worked with me in fighting these plans. This has been a combined effort from a huge number of people from across the High Peak.

However, I still want to see High Peak Halls used in a positive way to help local people. I don't just

want to see it left empty.

I have been pushing for High Peak Halls to be converted into badly needed affordable homes for local people.

However, I am keen to hear your suggestions for what the best use for the site would be now that the University of Derby need to go back to the drawing board.

Let's keep working together to make the High Peak even better!

Robert Largan column: ​This is a big victory for local residents and common sense​​​​​​​

Robert Largan column: This is a big victory for local residents and common sense