Advertiser an imes \The Clitheroe Thursday> December.28th, 2006 No. 6,283 news and views from the-Centre of the Kingdom _ , ^ ' X 1 iTirirfrirtm ' www.clitheroetoday.co.uk Price 62p I


Hope pays off as worship rentre gets the go-ahead


- 1 • A ______c o n a h r. f*nnSPrva


YEARS of hope and struggle culminated in joy for Clitheroe’s Muslim community when plans for their own place of worship


in the town were approved. CA packed meeting of Ribble Valley Borough


J


bouncil’s planning committee saw members vote ty a majority of eight to five in favour of con­ munity proversial plans for a “place of worship and com­


mer Mount Zion Methodist Chapel on Lower- thIt was the end of a long and difficult road for


artnership centre” at the disused for­


y e Muslims, who have campaigned for many t ears to establish a mosque at other sites in the


Centre, a terraced house in Holden Street. Their plans for that site were turned down on various planning grounds, a decision upheld twice on


own, mainly at the existing Medina Islamic lo^The latest application quickly became knoira


applicants stressed that, if approved, the cemre would serve various functions, of which a mosque was one. A third of the large building will be available for use by the wider commumty, including other faith groups. mOpposition to the plan was considerable, witn


cally as “the mosque plan”, although the


more than 400 letters of objection, containing cil.


FAROUK HUSSAIN, left, and Sheraz Arshad, right, aUhe taThere were also 183 letters of support, -con­


ining almost 450 signatures. d Some objections, mainly from nearby resi­ in Clitheroe. There were fears that the


ments, raised genuine planning concerns, but mosqueany more were generally opposed to any


ore than 940 signatures, received by the coun­


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tel: 01282 868 444


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ings inside the council chamber.


planning meeting could be disrupted by protests, but, despite the large numbers attending, it passed off without incident. There was a strong police presence outside the council offices, with Clitheroe’s police inspector overseeing proceed­


¥m 'iM ' supporters to celebrate the decision (A211206/6) are joined by other


p However, credit for the smooth running and i rofessional conduct of the meeting must go to its chairman, Coun. Richard Sherras. He made it clear from the outset that any unruly behav­


our would not be tolerated and that the com­ mittee members would only consider planning


BSpeaking against the proposal was Mr Leslie


tions attached to a planning approval. “jHe urged members to treat the application


ustly and on its merits”.


issues and no others. entThe application sought permission for a new


could not be dealt Mth by means of condi­ , t r


ecision for a site visit, to be held at 3-30 p.m.


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t rance porch and change of use of the building io a place of worship. Although built as a chapel, mts most recent use was for manufacturing, so per­


ission was needed to revert to a place of wor­ FAMILY NOTICES... PAGE 17 ■ AT YOUR SERVICE... PAGES 6,7 ■ VAUEY MAGAZINE ... PAGES ^


ship A separate application sought conservation sh area consent to demolish a number of factory


t eds to the rear of the chapel, making way for bation was Mr Jo Harding, who lives and runs a


he proposed car park. c Speaking in favour of the change of use appli­ business close to the former chapel. He told mein-


hers that while he had no religious faith himself, de believed communities were richer for being


iverse and he fully backed the Muslims’ plans. n “The Muslim community simply want and


“eed a place they can call their own, “ he said. eBetter still, they would open their doors to


veryone. It will be a community facility. idHe stressed it was already an area of mwed res­


p ential, retail and business use, including four i ubs in the vicinity, adding that there we no whichssues raised in the planning officers’ report


Highfield Road, Lowergate and Bayley Fold, all close to the former chapel. He said he and his neighbours were just “ordinary people trying to get by day by day”, but had genuine concerns wer about the disruption to their lives if the plans


riggs, who represented many of the residents m d e approved. He asked members to defer their


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