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Muslim centre plans withdrawn following residents’ objections; Preston
Topic Started: Oct 25 2010, 10:46 AM (97 Views)
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Preston

Published on Mon Oct 25 09:13:53 BST 2010

Controversial plans to build a faith centre in Preston have been withdrawn on the back of hundreds of objections.

The applicant behind the proposals for the land off Fulwood Row, Fulwood, close to Junction 31a of the M6, dropped the application after planning officers at Preston Council had recommended it for refusal.

An official report into the scheme said the mountain of 220 letters of objection against the proposals for the centre, sports hall and park was evidence of strong local feeling.

It also cited fears over the impact of increased traffic in the area, and the lack of a need for such a development, as reasons for its decision to recommend refusal to members of the council’s planning committee, which had been due to consider it at meeting next Monday.

However, Alban Cassidy, of planning consultants CA Planning, who is acting for the applicant, Fulwood Row Community and Faith Centre, confirmed the application had now been withdrawn.

He was unavailable to comment on the applicant’s plans for the site.

Today, Tony Jackson, chairman Longsands Community Association, said people living nearby had to get involved in taking action to secure the future of the site.

He said: “It is great news that the application has been withdrawn.

“Hopefully, this now means the end of these proposals, which a lot of people were very concerned about.

“Now people have to decide what they want to happen with this land because there is no doubt the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which owns it, want to offload it.

“We are already talking to them and Preston Council about the possibilities for the site.”

The original proposals for the site included a prayer hall intended for Muslim worship, four classrooms for use as a Madrassa, an IT suite, library, a two-storey multi-use hall with changing rooms and 51 car parking spaces.

However, the applicant scaled down the size of the building by a third following consultation with local people, but even this revised application attracted 69 letters of objection.

There were also objections from the highways department at Lancashire County Council which said it “strongly requested refusal” on the grounds it would affect the safety, operation and sustainability of the local roads.

It said if the plans were given the go-ahead, it would push for conditions to prevent other parts of the building being used “during, before or after Friday prayer times”.

The Environment Agency also objected to the plans on the grounds that parts of a ground investigation report had not been included in the amended application.

Wyre and Preston North MP Ben Wallace also objected on behalf of residents affected by the proposal.

The council planning officer’s report concluded: “There is an existing community centre nearby at Millennium Hall, and only a small Muslim population in the immediate area.

“Therefore, there is no over-riding need for the development as proposed which would outweigh these reasons.”

The HCA owns the land (pictured left), which it had put out to tender for developers in a bid to transform it for community use.

However, the agreement was subject to a planning application being approved.

Earlier this month, the HCA refused to reveal whether it had received any other bids for the land.

In August, 100 local people attended a public meeting to discuss the original plans.

link
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/environment/muslim_centre_plans_withdrawn_following_residents_objections_1_2618331
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I'm bumping this thread.

People need to read this.
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ENUFisENUF
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Kafir
good work by the residents!!

Things are changing, slowly but surely. NO SURRENDER
“Ridicule is the only weapon that can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them.”-Thomas Jefferson
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that's a bit of good news,we were at that meeting

:nosurrender:
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Deleted User
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If you need something to make you happy, read this.

Well done to the residents of Preston for what they have achieved. It's great news.
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Deleted User
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at last . someone listens to the people
is democracy coming back before its too late ?
or is it a flash in the pan ? just to appease temporarily ?
only time will tell
congratulations preston
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Its funny that 220 letters in Preston can make a difference but not 50,000 signatures on a petition in Dudley. Strange.


EDIT: is this the Muslim Centre for which the Preston demo is planned? Couldn't be that they are doing the same as in Dudley when they came out and said they had dropped the plans the night before the demo only to say afterwards that they never said that could it?
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i suggest we trust them until we have evidenve to prove anything else
then we visit
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"Muslim centre plans withdrawn following residents’ objections" - are you going to fall for this old trick again? Keep your eyes on this situation, we've been deceived before.

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