Mosque plans for West Bridgford ‘recommended’ by council planning team

The planning application submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council in July for a change of use to the former dental practice at the corner of Chaworth Road and Loughborough Road has been recommended by council planners.

The recommendation with conditions is not a ‘green light’ yet because the application moves forward to the Planning Meeting where the matter is discussed and voted on.

The final decision is expected at a planning meeting on Thursday 12 November 6:30 pm.

554 representations have been received of which 325 have indicated support and 224 have indicated objection.

Comments in support:

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a. Excellent idea to build a mosque.

b. Fantastic addition to the community.

c. Mosque is needed by Muslim community.

4. Usually have to travel for a mosque. Travelling to other sites is a burden. Unfair that Muslims have to travel out of area to pray
5. West Bridgford has a growing facility of all faiths.
6. Mosque is needed for future generations.
7. Will not cause disruption will only be open at select times.
8. No significant influence on traffic.
9. Fully in favour of Place of Worship.
10. Great location for a mosque.
11. Excellent option for a place of worship.
12. Nearby churches have no parking.
13. Very good gesture.
14. Few individuals will drive.
15. Every community should have a place to worship.
16. West Bridgford will become more integrated.
17. Parking issues are from families having too many cars.
18. Creates diversity.

Here are some excerpts from the Report by planners, with a full document and other useful information included too:

• It should be noted that whilst the applicant has indicated in the submission that the building would be used as a mosque, this is not a defined use within class D1 of the Use  Classes Order. – The application should therefore be determined on the basis of a ‘place of worship’ which is not specific to any religion or faith.

• The development proposes no external physical alterations to the building but proposes to reconfigure the internal arrangement to suit the applicant’s type of facility, in this instance a mosque. The building would have two main prayer rooms, associated washing facilities and both female and male library and reading rooms.

• The proposed parking layout is intended to be altered. Due to concerns from the Highway Authority over the parking layout, a revised parking layout has been proposed by the applicant, detailed on a drawing showing the retention of 6 existing spaces off Chaworth Road and a further 8 spaces in the main hard surfaced area accessed off Loughborough Road.

•  The applicant intends to operate this site as a mosque and carry out prayer services up to 5 times per day with each session lasting between 15 and 30 minutes. The applicant suggests that, due to the size of the building, up to 14 worshippers are likely to use the facility at any one time. On Fridays there would be 45 minute prayer meeting between 1:15pm and 2pm. Evening prayer during Ramadan would take place for 90 minutes and on two other occasion during the year (Eid) 90 minutes prayer would be undertaken. At section 19 of the application form the applicants explain that specific hours of use are proposed in relation to how this site would operate.

• The Highways Authority have concerns for the ability for the Loughborough Road car park to provide 10 adequately sized spaces. Furthermore, as the parking demand for a place of worship has been found to generate a possible 37 cars (worst-case scenario) a parking beat survey is requested as well as further information relating to the occupants’ operations with respect to various calendar events. As further information was requested, at this point, the Highway Authority recommended that the application was deferred to enable the applicant to provide such information.

• In relation to parking provision, based on the information provided by the applicant (Parking Beat Survey) it is concluded that there is likely to be up to 100 parking spaces available to act as overspill parking on residential streets within an acceptable walking distance should infrequent demand be created. Therefore, they do not consider that a severe impact would be created should some overspill parking occur.

• The Highway Authority have reviewed the latest 5 years’ worth of recorded road traffic accident data and comment that no significant trends or patterns are apparent in the local area that would raise concern regarding the development site exacerbating an existing accident issue.

• Rushcliffe Borough Council Environmental Health Officer having reviewed the Planning Statement raised concerns that the use would have a detrimental impact on the occupiers of neighbouring properties. The Officer notes that the building is located within a predominantly residential area and the applicant advises that prayers will be held 5 times a day. Prayer times can be throughout the day and night, therefore due to the close proximity of residential dwellings the use of the building throughout the day and night is likely to cause disturbance. The Officer also notes the applicant has not provided any details of the sound insulation properties of the building, the proposed use of the car parking area, also whether there will be any audible call for prayer at certain prayer times. Therefore, based on this application in its submitted format the officer would not be able to support this change of use.

• The officer draws attention where the Council refused applications in 2012 at 153 Loughborough Road for increasing the level of accommodation on offer due to noise impacts on neighbouring properties. As such, considering this is a similar application, the officer recommends the imposition of two conditions if planning permission were to be granted; the first requiring the submission and approval of a Noise Management Plan and the second condition restricting the hours of use at the site to between 0700 hours and 2300 hours only each day.

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