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Mosque plan go-ahead after controversial land deal
A CONTROVERSIAL agreement has been drawn up which will see Pendle Council compulsory purchase land for the Jamia Sultania Mosque, Brierfield.
The construction of the 2.5m. mosque, in Oxford Street, ground to a halt when the trustees were unable to buy a small section of land needed.
The trustees own 95% of a parcel of land adjacent to Oxford Street, and have already secured planning permission and funds to build the mosque.
However, the project cannot continue without acquiring the site of the former house, 20 Oxford Street (otherwise referred to as 20a Sackville Street). The house was demolished by the council before 1974 due to its state of disrepair. The present owner of the leasehold is unknown.
Since 2005, the trustees have been in contact with the freehold owners whose asking price for the land has been around 50,000 when the land is only said to be worth 5,000.
Unwilling to pay the owner's price, the trustees asked Pendle Council to make a compulsory purchase order on the land to take control of the plot and sell it to the mosque trustees.
The request was approved by the council's Brierfield and Reedley Committee, and given the final nod by members of the council's Executive.
Coun. Tonia Barton said: "It's hardly surprising this man has seen a chance to make a profit, but it is unreasonable to hold up this major development."
The trustees will have to agree in writing to reimburse the council the market value of the land and costs of the compulsory purchase order.
However, if the freehold owner was to object to the CPO, a public inquiry may be held which could jeopardise the mosque's completion.
Work started on the mosque in 2006, when its estimated cost was in the region of 2m. to 2.5m. Funds are being raised through donations from the local Muslim community and fund-raising events.
The mosque's website said: "The management committee of the new mosque has pledged to continue working tirelessly with raising funds for the new mosque. However, they are also aware that without the wider Muslim community donating to this project, the six-year-old dream will remain and the issues faced by the worshippers to the current mosque will continue. These being that there is insufficient room for congregational prayers and worshippers sometimes numbering up to 200 will have to continue praying on the back streets and side street in often difficult conditions for a lot longer."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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