Mosque plans are given the green light

London, NU Online
Islamic leaders are jubilant after controversial plans to build a new mosque in Eastbourne were given the go ahead this week.

The new state of the art three-storey building will be built on the site of the existing Eastbourne Islamic Cultural Centre in Ashford Square, which is no longer fit for purpose.&l<>t;br />
But there were angry and unpleasant scenes from protesters at a meeting on Tuesday night to consider the plans with many shouting and heckling during the meeting. There was a strong police presence at the Town Hall and security inside the meeting room.

One woman was thrown out after repeatedly shouting. Those against the rebuild said the area would resemble Islamabad and said town planners had made a huge mistake.

Another woman shouted, “Shame on you” and a man called the councillors a “bunch of muppets”.

The application has been highly emotive and challenging since it was first submitted to the council’s planning committee. Various meetings have been held between mosque leaders and council officers to find a suitable design and various events staged to interact with the community.

Some residents living in and around Ashford Square opposed to the plans fear the building is an over-development of the site, will lead to increased traffic and parking problems in the area and overshadow houses in the street.

Concerns have also been expressed about asbestos in the building, which will be removed in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive, and bats roosting underneath the railway bridge.

Lisa Rawlinson, the town’s senior planner, told councillors at the meeting there had been a 184-signature petition and 40 letters against the application with a 401-signature petition and 61 letters in favour.

The current mosque next to the railway line is a former social club which leaders say is like a dilapidated old army hut.

The new mosque will have prayer halls for both men and women, facilities for children, a kitchen, Imam’s room, a library and classroom.

There will be a limit on 100 people in the building during weekly Friday prayers, no Call to Prayer, and arrangements are being made to lease parking spaces in the nearby Junction Road car park.

Martin Relf, chair of Churches Together in Eastbourne, said, “The current building is well past its sell-by date and conditions are poor and cramped. The new building will make maximum use of the current footprint of land. It’s not going to be Islamabad or Riad transported to Eastbourne.”

Councillors agreed to give the plans the green light by a vote of six to one with only Meads Conservative Barry Taylor voting against the application, saying it was an over-development of the site.

The rebuild will now go ahead and mosque leaders will contribute towards a Travel Plan and help fund an investigation into introducing a one-way traffic system in the area. (dar)