Temporary Mosque Approved in Wakefield During Construction of New Building
Wakefield Council has already approved an application for Jamia Masjid Swafia, located on Park Hill Lane, Eastmoor, to be demolished. The mosque, which opened in the early 1980s, was the city’s first purpose-built mosque, Wakefield Express reported on Tuesday.
In April 2023, planning officers approved the construction of a new two-story mosque that will double the available space at the site.
This week, a further application to install temporary buildings on the car park was also approved to facilitate the construction work.
A report indicated that the temporary facilities would reduce the number of car parking spaces from 40 to 28. A council highways development officer stated that this reduction was “unlikely to result in a material increase in traffic generation or parking demand.”
According to the mosque's website, the new building will more than double the available floor space and will include classrooms, a new kitchen, and office space.
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Nearly 250 students currently attend after-school classes run by 15 full-time teachers.
The mosque's statement reads: “The Masjid has always been run, maintained, and funded by the local Wakefield Muslim community. The largest proportion of Muslims in Wakefield are of Pakistani origin. However, in recent years, the local Muslim community has become more diverse with Muslims from Europe and Africa settling in Wakefield. As the community has grown and the needs have increased, we now need to think about the future.”
The mosque committee and trustees initially considered building an extension but found it “more cost-effective” to demolish the existing structure and build a replacement.
The statement adds: “The dream is not to just create a Masjid, but to create a ‘hub’ where our community can come to learn about Islam, seek help and advice, a place where young people can come and escape from the societal problems that are affecting the youth of today. Moving forward, we need to think about how the Masjid can grow and benefit future generations and the wider community for many years to come.”
Source: Agencies
