New sports and community centre plans unveiled

The sports centre would include an indoor football pitch for 12 players

Plans to build a new sports and community centre, including an indoor football pitch, have been announced.

The Quwwatul Islam Preston Muslim Society has submitted an application to Preston City Council for a two-storey development on Deepdale Mill Street, opposite the separate mosque and education centre buildings which it already operates.

It would feature a football pitch for up to 12 players on the ground floor and a multi-purpose sports court on the level above.

Two community halls would also be created, with separate areas for men and women, although a folding wall partition would enable them to be turned into a single larger area.

'Essential'

The planning application said the new facilities would be open for private hire to "anyone within the local community" including the general public, clubs and organisations.

The development would also include showers, changing rooms, a kitchen and food serving counters.

A 17-space car park would be provided along with an overflow area for 42 cars at the education centre site.

The plot has currently been used to house lorries.

The centre would also include a "Janazah room", a space used for Muslim community prayers following the death of a loved one.

This has been described as "essential" because local Janazah services are currently held in the nearby Little Sparkles Nursery. The application document said this was "far from ideal".

It added: "The proposed development offers a more suitable and respectful environment for such a use."

The application will be considered by the local authority's planning committee.

The Deepdale Mill Street site has been used to house lorries