December 18, 2025 - 758 views
Conwy County Borough Council has today issued a statement setting out the process by which the Home Office and its contractor, Clearsprings Ready Homes, propose to use private properties in the Llandudno area to house asylum seekers as part of the UK’s asylum dispersal policy.
The council explained that under this policy all local authorities are expected to work with the Home Office to identify accommodation for those seeking asylum, and that it had been notified about plans to refurbish four flats in Llandudno for use by families arriving in the UK.
Clearsprings will work with landlords to renovate these properties and bring them back into use.
The announcement has sparked significant local debate online, with many residents expressing frustration on social media over the plan.
In a petition launched in the Senedd titled “Stop the flats in Llandudno being refurbished to house asylum seekers”, locals argue that housing should be prioritised for people on long waiting lists, citing strain on services and fears about safety and local resources.
Local Reform councillors have also criticised the move as unfair when local households are waiting years for council housing.
On platforms like Reddit and local Facebook groups, some commenters have echoed those themes, pointing to existing shortages in housing and expressing concern that asylum accommodation might take precedence over local needs.
Others have framed the issue within wider national debates about asylum policy and housing availability, though there are also voices calling for compassion and balanced understanding of the challenges involved.
Council leaders stress that Conwy does not own or manage housing stock directly and that the flats identified will be privately procured and refurbished by the contractor under Home Office arrangements.
They say the dispersal process simply ensures compliance with national policy while also attempting to bring empty properties back into use.
The issue remains controversial locally, with residents and councillors watching closely as negotiations and refurbishments progress.
