A leaflet has been put through homeowner’s doors around Preston opposing proposals for a new mosque at Broughton.
AdvertisementOutline plans include construction of a new build place of worship, with features including parking facilities and access works from the existing track off D’Urton Lane.
The site is an area of vacant grassland and formerly was a temporary construction compound and storage area for Lancashire County Council.
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However, the plans have been met with opposition.
The leaflet that has been put through resident’s doors in Fulwood, Broughton and other areas of Preston said: “A planning application has been submitted for a 16,000 sq ft ‘place of worship’ in Preston. It doesn’t mention that this is a mosque, but local news reports do.
“It proposes 134 car parking spaces – inadequate for the ‘450 no. adult [17+] worshippers, plus children’ they claim would visit. Why such a large mosque, that can seat over 1,000 people, for only 450 worshippers?
“Nearby roads would suffer excess parking, close to junction one of the M55. This is open countryside, where development can only happen under strict conditions, which this mosque could not meet, being designed to dominate this approach into Preston.”
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The plan includes 134 new car parking spaces are included in the plans as well as 12 disability spaces on the site close to the M55, A6 and M6 junction at Broughton.
The leaflet asks for people to contact Preston City Council to oppose the plans along with three reasons why they believe the mosque should not be built.
They say objections should be made based on it being land of open countryside, highway congestion and traffic fears and the design would be ‘domineering’.
The applicant for the outline plans is the Cassidy + Ashton Group and the full planning application can be seen on the Preston City Council website.
An international design competition is being held for full plans and drawings for the mosque to be selected.
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