Council Approves Plan to Turn Nursery into Mosque in UK’s Blackburn
The second slimmed-down proposal to turn a vacant former Blackburn nursery into a mosque and madrassah (religious school) has been approved despite concerns from neighbors over parking.
In November, the Muslim Welfare Institute's original plan to convert the building in Emerald Street, Roe Lee, was turned down.
Blackburn with Darwen Council rejected the scheme on the grounds of parking, road safety, noise and nuisance.
In March, a new backdated planning application was submitted, which dropped the original proposal for a single-story extension to house ablution (washing) and toilet facilities, and cut the mosque opening hours from 4.30am to 11pm, seven days a week, to 7.30am to 11pm, so as not to include dawn prayers.
That proposal has now been granted planning permission with eight conditions by the authority despite three objections from nearby residents concerned about parking problems.
The site was originally constructed as the Gatehouse for the adjacent Vale Mill.
An officer’s report recommending approval said: “The application site is a commercial building within Blackburn, previously used as a nursery.
“The site comprises a two-story building, rear play area and strip of land for off-street vehicle parking.
“The nursery use appears to have vacated sometime in 2022. Prior to that use the building was used as offices.
“The submission documents state that the site has been in use as a place of worship and education center since January 2024.
“This application seeks part-retrospective consent to change the use of the building to form a place of worship and Islamic education center.
“A prayer hall, ablution area and supporting functions would be provided on the ground floor with three classrooms above.
“A car park would be formed to the rear of the building for five vehicles, with two further spaces provided adjacent to the main entrance.
“Conditions have been advised to control opening hours and ensure that the development is operated in accordance with the mitigation measures detailed, which essentially involve ensuring that windows to the prayer room remain closed during use and the windows to the western elevation of the classrooms also remain closed during use.
“Subject to appropriate conditions, the proposals would be acceptable in principle and in terms of design and visual amenity, safeguarding amenity, parking and highways.
“There is a positive presumption in favor of approving the development, and there are no material reasons to object to the application.”
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A supporting statement from the Urban Future Planning Consultancy Ltd said: “The proposal would put the site to effective use.
"The site was considered appropriate for a children’s nursery school in terms of highway safety, accessibility and amenity and operated for three decades as such.
"It would generate a similar number of comings and goings.
"The applicant no longer seeks to extend the premises.
"Moreover, the revised scheme has significantly reduced the proposed operating hours."
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
