Plans for mosque on former nursery site rejected

The council said the property on Emerald Street had been empty since 2022

Plans to turn a former nursery building into a Muslim school and place of worship have been turned down.

The Muslim Welfare Institute (MWI) wanted to convert the former Emerald Street Nursery, in Blackburn, into a madrassa - a school where the Islamic faith is taught - and mosque.

It also proposed a single-storey extension to house religious cleansing and toilet facilities.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council rejected the planning application for the changes.

Objections to the scheme included a shortfall of off-street parking for nearby residents, impact on bus routes along Emerald Street, and noise pollution.

A report recommending refusal by senior planner Christian Barton said: “The site comprises of a two-storey building, rear play area and off-street vehicle parking for around four vehicles.

“This application involves changing the use of the building to form a place of worship and Islamic education centre or madrassa.

“The nursery use appears to have vacated some time in 2022.

“Should that happen, then the number of individuals within the extended building as a whole would be significantly more than the anticipated numbers."

It also said the plans would be taking up space which could be used by smaller scale businesses, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Barton added the proposals had not demonstrated noise levels would be kept to a satisfactory level so to not impact "the health and the quality of life of the immediate neighbours".

The MWI want the property to be open 17 hours a day, seven days a week.