Clitheiw 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified) 52 Clitheroe Advertiser&Times, Thursday, November 30th, 2006 www.clitheroetoday.co.uk Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial). 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified;


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Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, November 30th, 2006 53


L | Write to: T h e Editor, Clitheroe Adverliscr and Times, 3 King Slreel, Clitheroe BB72EW Editorial e-mail: vivieii.mealh@eastlancsnews.co.uk I want to lay to rest Fern 067 Fitz 068 Fly 069 Foxy 070 Fraggs 071 Fuggley 072


all these untruths! I WANTED to stay away from writ­ ing to the letters page about the “mosque issue”, rather naively, yet with certain integrity, feeling that it is just a normal planning application and should be decided as such like any other - nothing more and certainly nothing less. Having very many years negative


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experience of attempting to further the cause of a place of worship in my home town for the area’s long-estab­ lished Muslim community, deep down I knew things were not going to be any different this time. Yet I clung to some hope that we have moved on to a level of maturity in our debate and commu­ nity dialogue beyond simplistic preju­ dicial comments with no basis in fact. It is with a heavy heart indeed then


that I put pen to paper and try - the key word being try - to lay some per­ sistent untruths to rest. It is disappointing that the level of


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debate around the viability of a pro­ posal which seeks to act as a force for positive collaboration and good with­ in the whole community, as well as addressing spiritual and cultiual needs of Muslim, Christian and indeed other residents of faith and no faith within the wider community, is reduced to a simple black and white judgement of “for” and “against” brazen politicking by some in the community. The so-called “Mosque Issue” refers


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to nothing more than a local group of Clitheroe citizens, proud and commit­ ted to their place of origin (Clitheron- ian to the core, I will have you know), bom and raised in this fantastic town, working with their Christian, Bud­ dhist and Jewish friends, just wanting to worship, to pray. Is that really such a sinister and unpalatable prospect as to warrant the shameless baking of half-truths, misrepresentations and smears? I am sorry to use such harsh sound­


ing words, but consider if you will the actual facts against what has been written in these letters pages over the past few weeks. With regards to E Rosthom and K.


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Snape’s letter last week, I am particu­ larly disappointed, especially as we were good enough to show Ms Snape around the Mount Vale building along with other guests and visitors on November 9th and answer very fully, honestly and transparently her very many questions about our proposals. This was followed up with another


visit on November 24th th a t Ms Snape paid us, in which she was able to speak directly to our architect. Regardless of that, I shall reiterate clarifications previously made: In response to R Rosthorn/K.


Snape’s letter 1. With regards to the suggestion


that the application is short on detail, this is simply not true. The public can view the full plans, with detailed design statement, acoustic noise assepment, covering letter outlining i*itentions, travel plan etc etc by


addressing any noise issues. I do not wish to dent Mr Rosthom’s credentials as a time-served — and I am sure very capable - stmctural engineer, but con­ trary to what he says the walk of near­ by residents will not be knocked down and neither do the plans depict this. In fact, last time I checked, knocking people’s walls down was considered an illegal practise. Furthermore, we have had lengthy


dialogue with the owners of both prop­ erties with rear walls near the pro­ posed car park and both have been rea^ured, and have accepted to their satisfaction, that their walls will not be affected.


2. Contrary to remarks by E Ros-


thom/K. Snape, the plans do state the community uses for the building. The covering letter and Page 2 “Use, amount and layout” of the Design and Acc^ Statement submitted with the application refers to this. 3. It is confirmed with the council


that car park levels will be lower than the level of the original factory floor, which along with existing party walls and proposed fences will ensure priva­ cy of residents is maintained at all times. The removal of the existing sheds, which currently protrude well above the existing neighbour walls, will actually provide added light and visibility towards Pendle Hill - a wel­ come environmental planning gain. 4. Wendy Hampton is absolutely


correct. In order to meet the require­ ments of the County Surveyor, we have included a turning space within the car park, so as to ensure maximum fluidity of traffic movement. 5. P. Rosthom/K. Snape state that


the proposed access to the building will be not more than three metres away from their kitchen/bedroom. Aside from being factually incorrect (see plans for exact distance which is much more), surely the proposed use has got to be a marked improvement of the situation when the property was used as a factory, as their kitchen/ bedroom was directly adjacent to the main loading bay, which would have been receiving and sending 20 foot contain­ ers on articulated lorries up to seven days-a-week (see letter from factory operators submitted with the plans). 6. I fail to see how a door could


cause a “ruction” just by virtue of fac­ ing the town centre/commercial side of town. This is done to prevent the already remote chance of any noise disturbance to rear aspects of the two residential properties near the site dur­ ing evening/morning hours, which surely should be welcomed. 7. P. Rosthom/K. Snape ask “Where


visiting Ribble Valley Borough Coun­ cil’s website (www.ribblevalley.gov. uk). By examining the plans, you will clearly see th a t nearby residential properties are clearly marked and due consideration has been taken in


are worshippers going to park at night? On double yellow lines, proba­ bly”. Well if they do, a fixed penalty notice should put a swift end to that, because parking on double yellow lines is illegal. I should think users would probably consider it a safer bet to use the huge public car park on Lower- gate, empty and free of charge during the evening/morning hours, with the added advantage of practically being on the doorstep of the proposed place of worship/community partnership centre. 8. There is absolutely no evidence


that house prices would be reduced due to the building being used as a place of worship and community facil­ ity. Compared to use as a factory, the


arguments put forward by readers, I guess it would be quicker to finish off with brief statements to end this already long letter. There will be no external call to prayer. The building will not change in its appearance - no dome and no minaret. 'There is a dedi­ cated 15 space car park serving the building. Women wiU have equality of access to facilities. Muslims and non- Muslims are welcome to the building, having due respect to sanctity afforded to any religious building. A Charitable Trust will run the


organisation, made up of members from the Muslim community in Clitheroe as well as non-Muslim col­ leagues committed to furthering the interfaith and collaborative work to which MIEC is committed. Extrem­ ists have no place in our organisation or in our town. The articles of the Charitable Trust will have safeguards built into it to ensure that this always remains the case. Worshippers vrill not “flood in” from other towns to use the prayer hall at Mount Vale - a pathetic supposition, no further comment on that one. I guess there will be many more mis­


placed comments or incorrect accusa­ tions as the days go on, but I must accept it is not possible to cover them all in the course of one letter, if at all. All I can hope for is that if people


are going to object, they do so on the basis of reasoned and informed opin­ ion and fact. At least then I can go back to my idealistic realm of thinking on the “Mosque Issue” as a normal planning application afforded the same treatment as if it was by any other organisation made up of locally born, council tax paying men and women contributing to the social and economic progress of their community during their day-to-day lives. I think the majority of people in Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley will be decent and honourable enough to afford such a courtesy to their fellow citizens.


SHERAZARSHAD, Secretary, Medina Islamic Education Centre, Holden Street, Clitheroe


What do I have to


do to be accepted? I WAS wondering whether there was an unofficial - or even an official - qualification period before one was accepted as a member of this town and afforded the rights of the wider com­ munity. I was born and educated in


Clitheroe, and have lived in this town continuously for almost 40 years. I cer­ tainly love this town, and my family and I have many friends from all sec­ tions of the community. Furthermore, I feel very fortunate that my children have been brought up in such an idyllic setting and, like me all those years ago, continue to be educated in the fabu­ lous schools that exist here. However, despite my deep-rooted


opposite is true. If anything house prices are affected by positive/negative local amenity, and so a positive and collaborative approach (which our' proposals can be described as taking completely) can only be a good thing for property prices in the area. With regards to the countless other


affection for the town and, in particu­ lar the people, why is it that reflecting upon some of the deliberately racially and religiously motivated views expressed through the Letters pages, I begin to feel that as a Muslim living in this town, I am more so than ever before, viewed as a leper who should not be living here and should be ban­ ished to some far away place? What do I and other long-standing


Muslim residents of this community have to do in order to be accepted as equal members of this town?


MRST.AKHTAR Tower Hill, Clitheroe


Will the real Gavin


McQuade stand up! I READ the article about Gavin McQuade's attempts to mobilise the local councillors with great curiosity. If he feels so passionately about


what he is doing, why did he choose to omit his name from the leaflet that he says he has been distributing? Has he got something to hide or is


he simply a shy, retiring, community- minded person, not wishing to be in the spotlight? I am aware of a Gavin McQuade


when he says that people have little or no say about local issues. Our hard working councillors and council offi­ cers make themselves readily available to listen to what residents have to say. And it is plain from the correspon­


dence in this paper that people do indeed make their voices heard. It is a typical BNP tactic to suggest


that they are defending democracy when the aim of fascists has always been to suppress the voices of anyone who disagrees with them. Unless I am mistaken, and the Gavin McQuade that I am thinking about is not the BNP activist, then one has to serious­ ly question the real motives behind his campaign. Are they community focussed or are


there more sinister implications? Per­ haps the real Gavin McQuade could stand up.


CHRIS GATHERCOLE, Whalley


I’m concerned over


noise and privacy AS a resident living close to the pro­ posed mosque on Lowergate, I would like to share my concerns with readers. They are based aroimd loss of priva­


cy and noise disturbance. Half of my garden wall is attached to the ware­ housing that is to be demolished, so the project will affect me significantly. The car park will then be located at the other side of its replacement. The entrance porch through which


pedestrian and car users will enter is three yards from my garden and back door. My objections would stand regardless of religion, colour or race of users of the centre. This is also true of the majority of nearby residents, who will be subject to further traffic con­ gestion and unsocial hours of noise dis­


who has been active locally in the British National Party and I was won­ dering if this is the same person - or is there another Gavin McQuade resid­ ing in Clitheroe? He is, of course, talking nonsense


turbance directly passing their homes. I am annoyed that before the pro­


posal was made public the applicants and their support group visited resi­ dents living in Bayley Fold and some properties in Highfield Road, yet not those who share a boundary with them. Councillors and supporters of the


proposal were invited to look around the site on the evening of November 9th. Myself and four other residents also tinned up uninvited having heard of the meeting. After a tour, questions were invited and Mr Arshad told us not to worry about offending. This, however, proved not to be the case for some of the applicants’ entourage. When legitimate concerns of local res­ idents are perceived to be and trans­ lated into prejudicial protest, it stifles both debate and the cohesion of differ­ ent groups. Similarly the letters in this newspa­


per have illustrated how controversial the subject of a mosque in Clitheroe is. However, the concerns of residents liv­ ing near to the site are genuine plan­ ning issues. An application for a night club or major retail outlet would attract similar objections. At the above meeting I invited the


applicants to visit my home to discuss my concerns and was expecting them to visit with their architect. This was expected to take place last week and would have been before the deadline for representations to the planning department. To date (November 22nd) they have not called, so my ini­ tial concerns stand and were reflected in my letter of objection. Canon Rodney Nicholson hopes the


application will be “heard with the same criteria as white British people”. So do I and thus invite councillors and anyone doubting my sincerity to come and see how this proposal would affect those in its immediate vicinity.


R. STEVENSON, Lowergate, Clitheroe


Not against centre, just the location


I AM writing in total support of P. Rosthom and K. Snape, of Highfield Road. People who are opposing the proposed “interfaith centre” are not expressing racist views. They are not refusing the idea of a “mosque” in Clitheroe, just not at the end of their street. I have lived on Lowergate and I


dents that they should suffer further invasion and inconvenience to accomo­ date the needs of very few. I totally support the idea of a


mosque in Clitheroe and welcome our Muslim neighbours. So to save the uproar that is brewing already, simply compromise and find a non-residential area and then go right aheadi


PREVIOUS RESIDENT OF LOWERGATE


(Name and address supplied)


have experienced the traffic of cars and people that travel along not even a foot away from our front room. At weekends we suffered dranks walking home from the pubs, people going to and from the Emporium and during the week shoppers from town and to Sainsbury’s. It is simply unfair to tell these resi­


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