A project to turn a restaurant into a prayer room has been given the go-ahead after an often-heated town hall meeting.
The proposal to convert what had been the Lagan Indian Restaurant on Broadgate in Ladybridge had provoked strong feelings on each side when it first proposed earlier this year.
It promoted more than 321 letters of objection, with 65 in support, with parking and noise levels proving contentious issues, while supporters pointed to the chancing needs of the community.
Addressing town hall, applicant Asif Patel said: “The proposal before you today holds significant value to our diverse and growing community.”
He added: “This is a centre for spiritual growth, a hub for communal gathering and an educational hub.”
The plans have been approved by Bolton Council (Image: G&T Architecture)
Lagan had announced earlier this year that it was closing after serving the community for more than 20 years after its lease had run out.
The plans will see the restaurant transformed into a 100 person capacity prayer room with spaces for community meetings and education events.
Mr Patel told the council’s planning committee that the demographics of Ladybridge had been changing, prompting more of a need for Islamic prayer rooms like this.
He said that people going to the facility would be encouraged to walk there where possible to help reduce the need for cars.
But opponents of the scheme had still been concerned about the effects on parking in the area as well as the impact on safety with children going to and from nearby schools.
Objector Bill Bradbury said that he was also concerned about the fate of another nearby community centre that is owned and run by Ladybridge residents.
He said: “I believe its been quite on the verge for years, because of having not enough finance.”
Turning to the parking situation, he added that this will be particularly hard hitting on Fridays, when prayers are traditionally held, and that at times the situation was already poor.
Mr Bradbury said: “It was chaos, this was the worst part of the day, but it was chaos with people parking all over the place.”
Cllr Anne Galloway, of Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor, said that she welcomed the measures she still had concerns about parking and safety.
She said: “I regard the impact on the local highways, of the centre attracting a number of visitors during the day, to be severe.”
She added: “High numbers of children going out of the schools on this estate should be a consideration.”
But Cllr Rob Morrissey, of Breightmet, said that he felt the changing demographics meant that “it would make sense for people to walk” to the prayer room rather than drive.
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Turning to the existing community centre, he added: “I don’t think community spaces should be in conflict or competition with each other, the more community spaces the better in my opinion.”
Cllr David Wilkinson, of Westhoughton South, told the community he believed changing the use of the restaurant was within planning law “no ifs, no buts, whether you like it or not".
He said: “If they were to appeal, a planning inspector would turn round and say ‘what have you done that for? I’m going to award costs.”
The committee voted to approve the plan to sounds of applause from the public gallery and expressions of “shame” from objectors.
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