Fury as rugby clubhouse set to be turned into mosque despite objections | UK | News
A former rugby club building is to be converted into a mosque despite many objections. Plans to transform the building, which has been empty for nearly a decade, have been confirmed following 38 adverse and 163 favorable representations.
The mosque will open in the former Old Aylestonians Rugby Football Club clubhouse in Leicester. The council’s planning committee has given the green light to plans for the project in the Aylestone area despite fears over traffic safety, parking and noise. Some local residents also suggested Leicester had “too many” mosques compared to the city’s Muslim population.
As reported by Daily MailDr Louay Al-Alousi has submitted the planning application and will be the imam of the new mosque. The place of worship will accommodate up to 100 people at a time and Dr Al-Alousi insists there will be adequate traffic management.
The mosque will be open between 07.00-23.00 during Ramadan and its working hours will be extended until 12.30. A report also stated that officially scheduled events would be prohibited from being held outside the building.
However, some citizens said that although there are “limited number of sports facilities”, there are already buildings serving as mosques in the region. Some said that “there are many mosques in Leicester compared to the Muslim population.”
The planning agenda reads: “One objection cites 2021 Census data which states Leicester has 35 mosques for more than 50,000 Muslims, 22 temples for more than 87,000 Hindus and 10 gurudwaras and other places of worship for more than 16,500 Sikhs without planning permission.”
The Rugby Football Union (RFU), the sport’s governing body, was contacted about the plan but raised no objections. They said the building was “no longer used for rugby and there is no strategic need for a pavilion to be used for rugby at this location”.
Green Party Castle ward councilor Patrick Kitterick said he had “sympathy” with local people. However, he does not think the mosque will bring much extra traffic to the area, adding: “I can’t see any reason to refuse this tonight”.
Leicester Community Assist, a charity which applied for the change of use, said facilities at other mosques in the area were “limited”. They added that there were no “special” areas for female worshippers.
