“While the community centre is designed to respond to the needs of this community, it will be open to all, thereby providing a resource for the wider community of Blackburn."
Source/Credit: This is Lancashire
By Staff Report (Slightly edited) | August 25, 2017
While some objections were raised to controversial plans to turn a former pub into a Muslim community centre, an agent of the community says under the revised plans, on-site parking would be created and an agreement had been reached with a restaurant across the road for allocation of 15 additional parking spaces for use by the community centre.
The Lockside Tavern pub, at the junction of Bolton Road and Infirmary Street in Blackburn, would be converted into a community centre for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the town, if plans are given the green light.
The building, which has lain empty for a number of years and has in the past been called The Infirmary Hotel would be used for their own meetings, social gatherings and prayer, although the rest of the community would also be able to use the facility.
Plans for the community centre were withdrawn in July but they were re-submitted to Blackburn with Darwen council on August 21.
The previous application attracted a number of objections, including a petition signed by eight people.
Around 90 people would use the centre.
Concerns were raised in a planning report that a new community centre would make the traffic situation ‘intolerable’.
Residents also said there is no demand for another community centre and that there are several mosques within a short distance, meaning residents who attend such establishments are ‘well catered for’.
Ewood Cllr Maureen Bateson said: “I objected to the plans last time on the basis that there is very little provision for parking in the area.”
But in planning documents on behalf of applicant Mr Imran Ahmed, agent Design Studio North Architects it was said on-site parking would be created and an agreement had been reached with the Raj Restaurant across the road from the site to allocate 15 of their car parking spaces for use for the community centre.
The agent said: “The provision of on-site car parking removes issues with additional car parking spilling out onto the surrounding streets for the majority of its use periods.
“The vehicle trip attraction of the proposed site will be minimal and not have a detrimental impact on the operation or safety of the site, access, nearby junctions or local road network.
“While the community centre is designed to respond to the needs of this community, it will be open to all, thereby providing a resource for the wider community of Blackburn."
Read original post here: UK: Revised plans submitted to convert former pub to Ahmadiyya community center, allay neighbors concerns
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